Socialist Stalwart And Former Union Minister Sharad Yadav Passes Away

New Delhi, January 13 (TNA) One of the most vocal opposition leaders and a socialist stalwart Sharad Yadav passed away at a medical facility late Thursday night. He was 75. A statement from the Gurugram's Fortis Memorial Research Institute where the former union minister was taken immediately -- said Sharad Yadav was brought 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," the statement said.

Yadav had aligned himself with the anti-Congress camp and later became involved in JP movement. He was instrumental in stitching up the Grand Alliance after the 2015 assembly elections in Bihar. Sharad Yadav served as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in the late '90s and the VP Singh government in 1989.

A three-time member of Rajya Sabha, he was elected to the Lok Sabha seven 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. PM Modi and many senior leaders have condoled the demise of the veteran politician.