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👁 Lalu Prasad Yadav
Image Source : Wikipedia
  • Born 11 June 1948
  • Age 76
  • Birth Place Phulwariya, Bihar India
  • Profession Politician
  • Political Party Rashtriya Janata Dal
  • In Office 30th Union Minister Of Railways 24 May 2004 - 23 May 2009, 20th Chief Minister Of Bihar 4 April 1995 - 25 July 1997, Member Of Parliament, Lok Sabha 22 May 2009 - 3 October 2013, Member Of Parliament, Rajya Sabha 10 April 2002 - 13 May 2004, 12th Leader Of The OppositionBihar Legislative Assembly 18 March 1989 - 7 December 1989, Member Of Bihar Legislative Assembly 3 March 2000 - 10 April 2002, Member Of Bihar Legislative Council 7 May 1990 - 4 April 1995

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Lalu Prasad Yadav BIOGRAPHY

Last Updated : 09 Feb 2025
Lalu Prasad Yadav, arguably one of India’s most colourful politicians, became the Bihar chief minister at the age of 42 in March 1990. The JP Movement had shaped Lalu, who strove hard amid stalwarts like Karpoori Thakur, Ram Sundar Das and even Ram Vilas Paswan to make his way to 1, Anne Marg, Pat...na. Much water has flowed under the bridge in the years since. While the last three decades of Bihar politics have been dominated first by Lalu Prasad and then by Nitish Kumar, a new, younger generation of leaders are pushing at the limits of their socialist politics. Born on June 11, 1948, in Phulwaria village of Bihar’s Gopalganj district to Kundan Rai and Marachhiya Devi, Lalu Prasad was the second eldest among six brothers. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Law and a Masters in Political Science from B N College of Patna University. He worked as a clerk after his graduation at Bihar Veterinary College in Patna where his elder brother also worked as a peon. Lalu is an unique figure in the hurly-burly of Indian politics and a phenomenon in his hey days. He is one politician who defied stereotypes. Known for his quirky style and mass appeal, there were few leaders in India who could rival Prasad’s charisma and popularity in his prime. Prasad, who rose from a clerk to become a two-time Chief Minister of undivided Bihar and then as Union Railways Minister, has in essence, provided a perfect example of true Indian rural sophistication. His trademark lungi, short and stout body, and sprouted ears have endeared him, in both ways, to the masses of India. His lustrous career kicked off at a tender age of 29, when he got elected to the 6th Lok Sabha, one of the youngest members in the Lower House. In a short span of 10 years, Prasad, a canny political operator, went on to become a formidable political force in Bihar, and became the Chief Minister for the first time in 1990. During his second term, he was charged in the Fodder Scam of 1996 and resigned as Chief Minister in 1997. He elected his wife Rabri Devi, with whom he has nine children, as his successor. Illiterate and a newcomer to politics, Rabri was nick-named "Rubbery Devi" by her critics who alleged that she was a rubber stamp for her husband and a mere figurehead. They said Prasad ran the state by remote control. In 1997,as corruption allegations against him gathered steam,he left the Janata Dal and created the Rashtriya Janata Dal(RJD). During the Congress-led UPA government’s first term, from 2004 to 2009, he was Union Railways minister, and was credited with bringing India's Railways back into the black, a feat that led to invitations to speak at business schools. Prasad even found his way into the textbooks—the prestigious IIM, Ahmedabad, introduced a case study on his work in the Railways ministry for its business students. Prasad was prone to wise-cracks and theatrics and often livened up India’s Parliamentary proceedings with puns and other jokes. Prasad, whose politics is based on mass mobilisation of the lower-caste Hindu votes,had come to be known as a champion of social justice. Even as Lalu, who has been convicted in five of six fodder scams and is an accused in IRCTC and land-for-railway job cases, has been ailing for a long period, he has not lost his political heft and salience. He is one of the leading Opposition faces, who has continued to be a fierce critic of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. While he fights illness and court cases, he has handed over the party reins to younger son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, even as his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav remains a sulking and maverick political player. Lalu has however managed to transfer his political legacy and support base to Tejashwi, who has taken the centre stage of Bihar politics in his own right now.

Lalu Prasad Yadav PERSONAL LIFE

Father Kundan Rai
Mother Marachhiya Devi
Spouse Rabri Devi ​(1973), ​
Children 9 (including Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav and Misa Bharti)
Education Patna University (B.A.,LLB)

POSITIONS HELD BY Lalu Prasad Yadav

Position Tenure
Member of Rajya Sabha N/A
Member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly N/A
Minister of Railways 24 May 2004 - 23 May 2009
Member of the 12th Lok Sabha N/A
Member of the 9th Lok Sabha 2 December 1989 - 13 March 1991

LALU PRASAD YADAV NEWS

After Nitish, Lalu, Paswan, why Bihar's social justice movement is at a crossroads

March 08, 2026 6:58 am

The exit of socialist icons marks more than a generational shift – it closes a political cycle that began with socialist mobilisation in Bihar in 1970s and culminated in implementation of Mandal Commission report in 1990

'The files are just languishing': SC to hear appeals against bail to Lalu in fodder scam case on April 22

February 17, 2026 7:38 pm

The bench is seized of a clutch of petitions in connection with the case, including those by the state of Jharkhand and the CBI.

'People from Mithila, Koshi need not go to Patna, Delhi for treatment': Amit Shah's promise in Bihar if NDA retains power

November 06, 2025 6:02 pm

Shah, who addressed back-to-back rallies in Darbhanga, Motihari and Bettiah on Tuesday, slammed the RJD for its complaint to the Election Commission, seeking a pause on the Rs 10,000 benefit for 'Jeevika Didis'.

Why 'jungle raj' casts a long shadow over the RJD

October 31, 2025 8:24 pm

It has been 20 years since the RJD lost power in Bihar, but Tejashwi Yadav is still fighting the baggage of ‘jungle raj’, which evokes memories of a high crime rate and a desperate migration out of the state.

Lalu’s PM dreams and a phone call with I K Gujral

October 12, 2025 3:31 pm

The year was 1996. With Janata Dal president S R Bommai’s name coming up in the hawala scandal — diaries of the Jain brothers had indicated payoffs to politicians who were identified only by their initials — the party named Lalu Prasad, then Chief Minister of Bihar, as party chief.

Land for jobs ‘corruption’ case: CBI ‘cherry picking’ to target Lalu family, argues lawyer in court

August 02, 2025 12:51 pm

Lalu and his family have been accused by the CBI of enabling the recruitment of candidates for Group D railway substitute jobs who had allegedly transferred them land parcels as a quid pro quo.

Land for jobs ‘corruption’ case: CBI ‘cherry picking’ to target Lalu family, argues lawyer in court

August 02, 2025 3:24 am

“This case seems to be the interpretation of one gentleman who sits in a room determined to point out that something was wrong,” the advocate said.

Land-for-jobs scam: Supreme Court refuses to stay trial against Lalu Prasad Yadav

July 18, 2025 1:43 pm

The Supreme Court asked the lower court to complete the trial in the land-for-jobs scam expeditiously and to exempt Lalu Prasad Yadav from appearing personally.

‘Land-for-jobs’ case: Lalu Yadav asked Railway officials to speed up recruitment process, says CBI

July 02, 2025 9:19 am

CBI also alleged that many people were forced to sell their lands in exchange for jobs in the Indian Railways, but they refused to do so.

👁 Both Sridevi and Rajinikanth began their careers alongside Kamal Haasan.
When 13-year-old Sridevi and newbie Rajinikanth were completely starstruck by Kamal Haasan
Entertainment1 hr ago

Sridevi and Rajinikanth looked up to Kamal Haasan in the early stages of their careers, with both making their debuts alongside him in Moondru Mudichu and Apoorva Raagangal, respectively. The film played a crucial role in establishing Rajinikanth as an actor and inspired both stars to chase fame and fortune like Kamal. Sridevi and Rajinikanth collaborated with Kamal Haasan in numerous films.

LALU PRASAD YADAV PHOTOS

After JD(U)-RJD patch-up, Nitish pays courtesy visit to ex-foe Lalu Prasad

August 17, 2022 10:27 pm

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Wednesday visited RJD national president Lalu Prasad, who returned to Patna from New Delhi after undergoing treatment due to a fall.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar felicitated on his 75th birthday in New Delhi

December 10, 2015 9:55 pm

NCP chief Sharad Pawar was felicitated during an award and felicitation ceremony on his 75th birthday in New Delhi. Narendra Modi, Pranab Mukherjee, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Arun Jaitley, Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and others were present at the event.

Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar Chief Minister

November 20, 2015 5:41 pm

Nitish Kumar on Friday (November 20) took oath as Bihar Chief Minister along with 28 ministers, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s two sons Tejaswi and Tej Pratap, as the grand alliance government of RJD-JD(U)-Congress was sworn in at a mega ceremony attended by several top leaders from non-BJP parties.

Political rivals Modi, Mulayam share stage at wedding of Lalu's daughter

February 27, 2015 4:02 pm

To strengthen political ties, Lalu's youngest daughter Raj Lakshmi tied knot with Mulayam Singh's grand nephew on Thursday.

All party attendance at Mulayam-Lalu Saifai party

February 21, 2015 8:27 pm

Hundreds of hands holding mobile phones could be seen clicking pictures of Modi. Some of them even reached the media section requesting the reporters seated to capture Modi in their mobiles.

Hi-fi in Saifai: Modi, Amitabh to be chief guests at big, fat Yadav wedding

February 20, 2015 5:13 pm

Saifai village, some 25 km from Etawah, is buzzing with frenzy activity for the 'tilak' ceremony of Mulayam Singh's grand nephew, to marry Raj Laxmi, the youngest daughter Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav share stage after two decades

August 11, 2014 3:24 pm

Bitter foes for almost two decades, former Bihar chief ministers Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad on Monday hugged each other.

Sonia Gandhi hosts iftar party, shares table with Sharad Yadav and Lalu Prasad

July 28, 2014 10:48 am

Sonia Gandhi hosted her first Iftar in three years, which saw the Congress president sharing a table with leaders of RJD and its new-found ally JD(U).

LALU PRASAD YADAV VIDEOS

SP - BSP Alliance: RJD's Tejashwi Yadav welcomes the move

June 22, 2020 6:05 pm

After BSP and SP announced the alliance between the two parties, Tejashwi Yadav said that the people of India welcome the alliance. He also claimed that BJP will be whitewashed in UP and Bihar

Doubling farmers’ income is government’s political stunt, says Lalu Yadav

February 29, 2016 4:35 pm

Patna, Feb 29 (ANI): Former railway minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Monday said the ruling government’s statement of doubling farmers’ income by 2022, is just a political stunt to reserve their berth in the next general elections.He further asserted that the BJP-led Central Government will not win the 2019 polls.

BJP has derailed Rail Budget: Lalu Yadav

February 25, 2016 12:43 pm

Patna, Feb 25 (ANI): Former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Thursday said the Railway Budget 2016 was hollow and there was nothing in it. He said the railways is meant for the common man but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had derailed the Railway Budget altogether. Lalu said the Indian Railways have been incurring losses whereas its expenditure has been on the rise. He also stressed on the proposition of bullet trains, saying it was a game plan of the foreigners to capture the Indian Railways. He further added that the government was not taking cognizance of such instances.

Patiala court scuffle is attack on India’s democracy: Farooq

February 18, 2016 12:09 pm

Srinagar, Feb 18 (ANI): Condemning the JNU row, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) Patron Farooq Abdullah said that the scuffle between lawyers and students outside the Patiala House Court is an attack on India’s democracy. Farooq added that the entire JNU row has been exaggerated and the Vice Chancellor should have handled it himself. Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) founder Lalu Prasad Yadav accused the Delhi Police for being a mere spectator in the JNU row, alleging that they are acting on behalf of the Centre.

Take action against Sarfaraz, if there are evidences: Lalu Yadav

January 22, 2016 10:54 am

Patna, Jan 22 (ANI): Commenting on the Janata Dal-United MLA Sarfaraz Alam's molestation case, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Friday said in his view, there should be quick action against Sarfaraz, if there is any evidence. He added that now the JDU has to decide how they want to proceed in this matter.

PM Modi failed to protect the country: Lalu Yadav

January 08, 2016 10:45 am

Patna, Jan 08 (ANI): Hinting at the Pathankot terror attack, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had failed to protect the country. He also said that the centre only talked about law and order while the country remained unsafe in their hands.

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