This is an archive article published on June 11, 2023

As ex-Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav celebrates 76th birthday, a look at his political journey

Lalu Prasad Yadav political journey truly set off on July 5 in 1997, after Lalu broke ranks with his then colleagues and top Janta Dal leaders to form his own party, the RJD, and install his wife Rabri Devi as the new CM a few days late

Lalu Yadav took his first step into politics during his college days and by 1973, he became the president of the Student Union at Patna University. (Express Archive Photo)

By: Express Web Desk

4 min readNew DelhiJun 11, 2023 08:16 PM IST First published on: Jun 11, 2023 at 08:16 PM IST

Former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad celebrated his 76th birthday today, cutting a cake in the presence of his family members. Lalu Yadav’s political journey set off on July 5 in 1997, after he broke ranks with his then colleagues and top Janta Dal leaders such as Sharad Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan to form his own party, the RJD, and installed his wife Rabri Devi as the new CM a few days later.

Returning from a foreign tour, the Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav met the widows of the men killed in the Sarathua massacre. Express archive photo

This two-time Bihar CM was born on June 11, 1948, in Phulwaria village of Bihar’s Gopalganj district to Kundan Rai and Marachhiya Devi. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Law and a Masters in Political Science from B N College of Patna University and worked as a clerk after his graduation at Bihar Veterinary College in Patna.

On June 1, 1973, Lalu married Rabri Devi. The couple has seven daughters and two sons.

Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav’s children. Express archive photo

Lalu Yadav took his first step into politics during his college days and by 1973, he became the president of the Student Union at Patna University. His public speaking skills were noticed and he became the Janata Party candidate in the historic post-Emergency 1977 Lok Sabha Polls.

Lalu became the youngest member of the then parliament to win the seat from Chhapra at the age of 29 and later in 1989, he became a Lok Sabha MP as former Prime Minister V P Singh formed a government at the Centre.

Political leader Lalu Prasad Yadav is seen with his wife Rabri Devi. Express archive photo

Lalu was not the first choice for the post of Chief Minister of Bihar as V P Singh wanted former CM Ram Sunder Das to lead the government but with the backing of deputy PM Devi Lal, Lalu Prasad Yadav became the Chief Minister of Bihar in 1990 as head of the Janata Dal government.

As chief minister, Lalu had famously got BJP stalwart L K Advani arrested on October 23,1990, and put a hold on his Ram Rath Yatra in the state. As Advani’s rath crossed the Ganga towards North Bihar, he faced the first Janata Dal protests and was arrested from Samastipur in Bihar.

BJP leader LK Advani along with Lalu Prasad Yadav during the Eid party at BJP leader Shahnawaj Hussain’s residence. Express Photo by Renuka Puri

From 2004 to 2009, he became the Railways Minister in the UPA government and replaced plastic cups at railway station with ‘kulhars’ (earthen pots) and turned around Indian Railways from near bankruptcy to a profitable venture. Lalu is also credited for introducing the first low-fare ‘Garib Rath’, an all AC train, which provided subsidised long-distance travel to passengers.

CM Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav hug each other to show the solidarity of Grand aliance during swearing in ceromony in Patna on Friday, Nov 20, 2015.
Express Photo By Prashant Ravi

Lalu’s troubles started in 1997 when he was charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act in connection with the fodder scam. In 1998, a disproportionate assets case was lodged against Lalu which also Rabri as a co-accused for abetting the crime. The duo surrendered before a CBI court in 2000 and were acquitted in the case in 2006. Lalu was convicted in a second fodder scam case on December 23, 2017.

People are demanding resignation from the post of Chief Minister after Lalu Prasad Yadav was convicted in the fodder scam. Express archive photo

Lalu’s elder son Tej Pratap Yadav formally joined politics post-2015 Bihar Assembly elections and won a seat from Mahua, Vaishali. Tej Pratap had earlier served as the Health Minister in the Nitish Kumar-led Grand Alliance government while his younger brother Tejaswi Yadav was the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.

Rashtriya Janata Dal President Lalu Prasad Yadav,Sharad Yadav and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav during RJDs National Executive Meeting in New Delhi on Monday. Express photo by Anil Sharma. 10.10.2022. Express photo by Anil Sharma.