Kamal Ghorui
LUCKNOW: Prateek Yadav, the stepbrother of Akhilesh Yadav and husband of BJP leader Aparna Yadav, passed away in Lucknow on Wednesday morning. He was 38.Sources said Prateek Yadav was brought to Civil Hospital around 6am, where doctors declared him brought dead. The exact cause of death has not yet been disclosed. A post-mortem examination is being conducted and further details are awaited.Prateek was the son of Sadhana Gupta, the second wife of Samajwadi Party partriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav. Despite belonging to one of Uttar Pradesh’s most prominent political families, he largely stayed away from active politics.He studied at the prestigious University of Leeds and later pursued business and fitness ventures in Lucknow. He ran “The Fitness Planet”, a well-known gym in the city, and was known for his interest in health and fitness.His wife Aparna Yadav has remained politically active over the years. She contested the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from Lucknow Cantt on a Samajwadi Party ticket but lost to Rita Bahuguna Joshi. She later joined the BJP in 2022 and was appointed vice-chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission in 2024.Prateek and Aparna tied the knot in 2011 in a high-profile ceremony held at the family’s ancestral village Saifai in Etawah district.Earlier this year, Prateek Yadav had publicly spoken about marital issues with Aparna Yadav. In a post on his verified Instagram account, he had accused her of straining his relationship with family members and said he planned to seek divorce. He had alleged that she was focused only on fame and influence and claimed he was going through severe mental stress.(With agency inputs)
