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PTC Web Desk: Prateek Yadav, son of late Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, died in Lucknow on Wednesday at the age of 38. Though he belonged to one of Uttar Pradesh’s most influential political families, he mostly stayed away from active politics and preferred a private life focused on fitness and business.

His death has once again brought attention to the complicated relationships and political divisions within the Yadav family.

As per the report in NDTV, Prateek Yadav was born in 1988 to Sadhna Gupta, who was then associated with the Samajwadi Party. For several years, his identity remained away from the public eye. He was believed to be the son of Sadhna’s first husband, Chandraprakash Gupta and even his school documents reportedly did not mention Mulayam Singh Yadav as his father.

Things changed in 2003 after the death of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s first wife, Malti Devi, who was also the mother of Akhilesh Yadav. It was after this that Mulayam publicly accepted his relationship with Sadhna Gupta and Prateek.

The revelation triggered political and family discussions within the Samajwadi Party, especially regarding future leadership in the family.

Over time, informal groups started forming within the Samajwadi Party. One side backed Akhilesh Yadav, while another was believed to be closer to Sadhna Gupta and Shivpal Yadav.

Even though Prateek Yadav was often dragged into these political equations, he did not show interest in entering politics. Instead, he focused on fitness and his real estate business.

In 2012, some Samajwadi Party workers demanded that he be given a Lok Sabha ticket from Azamgarh for the 2014 elections. Reports also suggested that Sadhna Gupta and Shivpal Yadav supported the idea, but Prateek never entered electoral politics.

Prateek Yadav married Aparna Bisht in 2011 after being in a relationship for several years. Their wedding attracted major attention because of the Yadav family’s political stature.

Aparna later became active in politics and eventually joined the BJP in 2022. After joining the BJP, she openly praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, especially for policies related to women.

In September 2024, the BJP government appointed her as the vice chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Commission for Women.

The political differences inside the Yadav family continued over the years. Both Sadhna Gupta and Aparna Bisht were often blamed by party insiders for increasing tensions within the family.

Earlier this year, Prateek Yadav made headlines after sharing emotional posts on Instagram about his troubled relationship with Aparna. In one post shared on January 19, he accused her of damaging family relations and affecting his mental health. However, just days later on January 28, he announced that the two had reconciled.

Despite political and family differences over the years, Akhilesh Yadav was among the first leaders to react to Prateek Yadav’s death.

In a message shared on X, the Samajwadi Party chief expressed grief and paid tribute to him, calling the news deeply heartbreaking.

Prateek Yadav’s life remained closely connected to politics because of his family background, but unlike many others in the Yadav clan, he chose to remain away from the political spotlight for most of his life.