Lalu Prasad Yadav

Lalu Prasad Yadav (born 11 June 1948) is an Indian politician who served as the Chief Minister of Bihar from 1990 to 1997 and as the Union Minister of Railways from 2004 to 2009. He is the president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) party. Known for his folksy humor, populist politics, and ability to connect with the rural masses, Lalu is one of the most colorful and controversial figures in Indian politics. Born in Phulwaria village in Gopalganj district of Bihar, Lalu came from a very poor farming family. He studied at Patna University and entered student politics, becoming president of the Patna University Students' Union. He was first elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1977 and became the youngest Chief Minister of Bihar in 1990 at the age of 42. During his tenure as CM, Lalu was known for his social engineering — bringing together extremely backward classes, Mahadalits, and Muslims under one political umbrella through the RJD. His tenure was also marked by allegations of misgovernance, criminality, and corruption. He was forced to resign as CM in 1997 due to his involvement in the Fodder Scam (a massive animal feed corruption case) and handed power to his wife Rabri Devi. As Union Railways Minister from 2004 to 2009, Lalu was surprisingly effective. He transformed the Indian Railways from a loss-making entity to a profitable one through innovative measures. He was the first Railway Minister to present five consecutive budgets and achieved record profits. His famous zero-deficit railway budget was widely appreciated. Lalu was convicted in the Fodder Scam in 2013 and sentenced to prison, though he was later granted bail on medical grounds. Despite legal troubles and physical decline, he remains the undisputed leader of the RJD and a powerful political force in Bihar. His son Tejashwi Yadav now leads the party and has served as Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.