New Delhi: Former Union Minister  Sharad Yadav (75) passed away on Thursday in a hospital in Gurugram. He was ailing for a long time and had collapsed at his home in Delhi on Thursday.

According to the Gurugram’s Fortis Memorial Research Institute statement where he was taken immediately to the emergency ward in an unconscious and unresponsive state. On examination, he did not have any pulse or recordable blood pressure. He underwent CPR as per ACLS protocols. Despite best efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 10.19 pm.

He entered into politics as a student leader and he aligned himself with the anti-Congress camp and later became involved in JP movement. For most of his life, he remained a key presence in the opposition. He, however, reconciled both with the Congress and great political rival Lalu Yadav and was instrumental in crafting the Grand Alliance after the 2015 assembly elections in Bihar.

He was served as a Minister in the VP Singh Government and Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s Government. He was elected as a member of Lok Sabha for seven times and he represented Rajya Sabha for three times. The founder-member of Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal United, he quit after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ended the Grand Alliance and joined hands with the BJP.

He launched Loktantrik Janata Dal in 2018, and merged it with Lalu Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal two years later, saying it was thefirst step towards a united opposition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his condolences to his family and admirers. In his tweet Modi said that Sharad Yadav’s demise is painful to him. In his long years in public life, he distinguished himself as MP and Minister. He was greatly inspired by Dr. Lohia’s ideals. I will always cherish our interactions. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti, tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.