{{Short description|Indian politician from Uttar Pradesh (born 1977)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Yasar Shah | honorific_suffix = | image = Yasar Shah Cabinet Minister.jpg | alt = | caption = | constituency1 = Matera | office1 = MLA, Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh | term_start1 = 8 March 2012 | term_end1 = 10 March 2022 | predecessor1 = Constituency created | successor1 = Mariya Shah | office2 = Minister of State (Independent Charge), Energy | term_start2 = October 2015 | term_end2 = September 2016 | office3 = Minister of Transport (Independent Charge) | term_start3 = September 2016 | term_end3 = March 2017 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1977|05|22}} | birth_place = Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, India | citizenship = Indian | party = Samajwadi Party | parents = Waqar Ahmad Shah<br />Rubab Sayda | alma_mater = Aligarh Muslim University<br />Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University (MBA, 2002) | occupation = Politician | profession = Politician | spouse = {{marriage|Mariya Shah|14 July 2015}} | children = 1 son and 2 daughters | website = [https://www.yasarshah.in Official website] }}
'''Yasar Shah''' (born 22 May 1977) is an Indian politician and a former cabinet minister in the Government of Uttar Pradesh. He represented the Matera constituency in both the 16th Uttar Pradesh Assembly (2012–2017) and the 17th Uttar Pradesh Assembly (2017–2022) as a member of the Samajwadi Party. He is the son of late cabinet minister Waqar Ahmad Shah and former MP Rubab Sayda.<ref name="Noor" />
== Early life, family and education == Yasar Shah was born on 22 May 1977 in Kazipura, Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh. His father, Waqar Ahmad Shah, was a senior Samajwadi Party leader, five-time MLA, former Deputy Speaker, and a state minister. He died in April 2018 after prolonged illness.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 April 2018 |title=पूर्व मंत्री डाक्टर वकार अहमद शाह का निधन |trans-title=Former minister Dr Waqar Ahmed Shah passed away |url=https://www.patrika.com/lucknow-news/sp-leader-former-minister-doctor-waqar-shah-died-2653622 |access-date=2 August 2025 |website=Patrika |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=16 April 2018 |title=पूर्व मंत्री वकार अहमद शाह का निधन |trans-title=Former minister Waqar Ahmed Shah passed away |url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/metro/lucknow/other-news/former-minister-waqar-ahmed-shah-dies/articleshow/63774990.cms |access-date=2 August 2025 |website=Navbharat Times |language=hi}}</ref> His mother, Rubab Sayda, served as Member of Parliament from Bahraich.<ref name="Noor"/>
He completed his intermediate studies from Seventh-Day Adventist Inter College in Bahraich, pursued undergraduate studies at Aligarh Muslim University, and earned an MBA degree in 2002 from Babu Banarasi Das Institute, affiliated with Lucknow Technical University (now Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University).<ref name="close-aide">{{Cite web |url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/state/uttar-pradesh/bahraich/who-is-yasar-shah-tweet-about-mohammad-shami-told-him-katua-close-aide-of-akhilesh-yadav/articleshow/103901108.cms |title=भारत को इस *** पर गर्व है, मोहम्मद शमी की तस्वीर शेयर कर ये लिखने वाले अखिलेश के करीबी नेता कौन हैं?|trans-title =India is proud of this ***, who is the leader close to Akhilesh who wrote this after sharing the picture of Mohammed Shami?|publisher=Navbharat Times |date=24 September 2023 |access-date=2 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.aajtak.in/elections/up-assembly-elections/story/matera-assembly-seat-up-assembly-elections-2022-yasar-shah-sp-bjp-bsp-lcla-1395793-2022-01-20 |title=Matera Assembly Seat: सपा के यासर शाह हैं विधायक, पूर्व मंत्री लगा पाएंगे हैट्रिक?|trans-title=Matera Assembly Seat: SP's Yasar Shah is MLA, will the former minister be able to score a hat-trick? |publisher=Aaj Tak |last=Chaudhary |first=Ram Baran |date=20 January 2022 |access-date=2 August 2025}}</ref><ref name="Noor">{{Cite book |last=Noor |first=Junaid Ahmad |url=https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/bahraich-ek-tareekhi-shahar-junaid-ahmad-noor-ebooks |title=Bahraich Ek Tarīkhi Sheher |publisher=Junaid Ahmad Noor |year=2019 |isbn=978-93-5351-047-3 |edition=1st |volume=1 |location=Bahraich, India |pages=203–204 |language=ur |trans-title=Bahraich: A Historic City |via=Rekhta}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=https://myneta.info/up2012/candidate.php?candidate_id=433|title=Yasar Shah(Samajwadi Party(SP)):Constituency- MATERA (BAHRAICH ) - Affidavit Information of Candidate|last=ADR|website=myneta.info|access-date=2 August 2025}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://myneta.info/uttarpradesh2017/candidate.php?candidate_id=4427|title=Yasar Shah(Samajwadi Party(SP)):Constituency- MATERA(BAHRAICH) - Affidavit Information of Candidate|last=ADR|website=myneta.info|access-date=2 August 2025}}</ref><ref name="docs2.myneta.info">{{Cite web|url=http://docs2.myneta.info/affidavits/ews2up2012/433/13_yasharshah_SC.pdf |title=Yasar Shah Affidavit|access-date=20 March 2017 |archive-date=21 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170321082550/http://docs2.myneta.info/affidavits/ews2up2012/433/13_yasharshah_SC.pdf|url-status=dead|website=myneta.info|language=hi}}</ref>
== Political career == Shah began his political journey in 2005 when he won the Bahraich district panchayat election with the highest number of votes. In 2012, he was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from the newly created Matera constituency as a Samajwadi Party candidate, defeating Indian National Congress’s Ali Akabar by a margin of 2,801 votes.<ref name="hindustan-matera">{{Cite web |title=Uttar Pradesh Election: Matera Assembly Constituency 2022 |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/elections/uttar-pradesh-assembly-election/matera-1383870534 |access-date=2 August 2025 |publisher=Hindustan Times}}</ref><ref name="auto1"/>
In 2013, he was nominated to contest the Shravasti Lok Sabha seat by the Samajwadi Party.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 October 2013 |title=Jailed Kushwaha's wife gets SP ticket from Ghazipur |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/jailed-kushwaha-s-wife-gets-sp-ticket-from-ghazipur/story-gLfyRkvQKVBeOOd9JOWZaM.html |access-date=2 August 2025 |work=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>
He was re-elected from Matera in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election in a closely contested race, defeating Bharatiya Janata Party's Arun Veer Singh by a margin of 1,595 votes. Shah received 79,188 votes (40.0%), while Singh got 77,593 votes (39.2%). Bahujan Samaj Party’s Sultan Ahmad Khan secured 33,482 votes (16.9%). Together, the top three candidates accounted for 96.1% of the total votes.<ref name="hindustan-matera"/><ref name="auto"/>
In 2012, he had declared assets worth ₹1.31 crore and one criminal case.<ref name="auto1"/> By 2017, his declared assets rose to over ₹7.16 crore, with no criminal cases.<ref name="auto"/> By 2022, he declared assets worth more than ₹13.35 crore.<ref name="auto"/>
Following his father’s critical illness, Shah was inducted into the Uttar Pradesh cabinet in 2014 as Minister of State, replacing Waqar Ahmad Shah in the Labour Ministry.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 January 2014 |title=UP: 3 Muslim ministers get Cabinet rank |url=https://www.indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/up-3-muslim-ministers-get-cabinet-rank/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250801123354/https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/up-3-muslim-ministers-get-cabinet-rank/ |archive-date=1 August 2025 |access-date=2 August 2025 |work=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Atiq |date=23 May 2016 |title=Six U.P. Ministers get portfolios |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/six-up-ministers-get-portfolios/article5820427.ece |access-date=2 August 2025 |website=The Hindu |language=en}}</ref>
Later, in October 2015, he was promoted to Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Energy and subsequently became the Transport Minister (Independent Charge) in the Akhilesh Yadav cabinet.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Energy Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yasar Shah meeting with Shri Piyush Goyal |url=http://powermin.nic.in/en/content/energy-minister-uttar-pradesh-shri-yasar-shah-meeting-shri-piyush-goyal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170409234340/http://powermin.nic.in/en/content/energy-minister-uttar-pradesh-shri-yasar-shah-meeting-shri-piyush-goyal |archive-date=9 April 2017 |access-date=2 August 2025 |publisher=Ministry of Power, Government of India |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=31 October 2015 |title=यासर शाह को स्वतंत्र प्रभार मिलने पर खुशी की लहर |url=https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/bahraich-13106211.html |access-date=2 August 2025 |website=Jagran |language=hi}}</ref>
== Legislative achievements == During his tenure as Energy and later Transport Minister, Shah oversaw multiple development projects, including the replacement of overhead power lines with underground lines in Bahraich, construction of a ₹20 crore trauma center, and establishment of 22 power substations.<ref name="patrika.com">{{cite web |last=Singh |first=Akansha |date=29 September 2016 |title=जानिये इस युवा कैबिनेट मंत्री की ख़ासियत, CM से लेकर हर आमजन क्यों करता है इन पर नाज |trans-title=Know the specialty of this young cabinet minister, why everyone from CM to common man is proud of him |url=http://www.patrika.com/news/bahraich/history-about-yasar-shah-political-carrer-in-hindi-1410332/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124010138/http://www.patrika.com/news/bahraich/history-about-yasar-shah-political-carrer-in-hindi-1410332/ |archive-date=24 January 2025 |access-date=2 August 2025 |website=Rajasthan Patrika |language=hi}}</ref>
As Transport Minister, he implemented reforms in public transport, introducing Volvo and Scania buses on key intercity routes. He also initiated the renovation of bus terminals in Bahraich and Lucknow.<ref name="close-aide" />
== Personal life == Shah married Mariya Shah on 14 July 2015. The couple has one son and two daughters.<ref name="upla">{{Cite web |url=https://uplegisassembly.gov.in/Members/main_members_en.aspx#/Data/18284/18 |title=Members of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly |publisher=Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly |website=uplegisassembly.gov.in |access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref> He lists his profession as agriculturist and businessman.<ref name="auto"/> He resides in Kazipura, Bahraich, near the India–Nepal border.<ref name="patrika.com"/>
He is often referred to as “Yasar Bhai” among locals and is known for his accessibility and involvement in local issues.<ref name="Noor"/>
== Public statements and political views == Shah has voiced opposition to decisions by the state government that, according to him, negatively impact communal harmony, such as the denial of permission to the historic Ghazi Mian fair in Bahraich.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rashid |first=Omar |date=4 May 2025 |title=Adityanath Govt Denies Permission to Age-Old Fair in Bahraich |url=https://thewire.in/politics/adityanath-govt-denies-permission-to-age-old-fair-in-bahraich-attended-by-both-hindus-and-muslims |access-date=2 August 2025 |website=The Wire |language=en}}</ref>
In November 2017, during a municipal election campaign in Bahraich, Yasar Shah stated that the same city from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his parliamentary journey would also witness the political downfall of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He accused the BJP of promoting divisive politics and emphasized Bahraich's legacy of communal harmony.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Akansha |date=24 November 2017 |title=सपा के पूर्व कैबिनेट मंत्री यासर शाह ने दिया बयान, कहा – जहां से उठा था भाजपा का चेहरा वहीं से होगा उसका का ख़ात्मा |trans-title=Former SP cabinet minister Yasar Shah gave a statement, saying – BJP's face will end from the same place where it rose |url=https://www.patrika.com/bahraich-news/sp-leader-yasar-shah-statment-over-bjp-in-bahraich-up-news-in-hindi-2030812 |access-date=2 August 2025 |publisher=Patrika}}</ref>
In February 2024, he criticized Samajwadi Party rebels who voted for BJP candidates in Rajya Sabha elections.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pandey |first=Vebhav |date=28 February 2024 |title=सपा के बागी मनोज पांडेय और अभय सिंह पर चुन-चुनकर बोला हमला, जानिए कौन हैं अखिलेश के करीबी ये पूर्व विधायक |trans-title=SP rebels Manoj Pandey and Abhay Singh were targeted selectively, know who these former MLAs are close to Akhilesh |url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/state/uttar-pradesh/bahraich/bahraich-news-sp-leader-yasar-shah-attack-on-manoj-pandey-and-abhay-singh/articleshow/108064455.cms |access-date=2 August 2025 |website=Navbharat Times |language=hi}}</ref>
In September 2024, Shah was granted interim protection from arrest by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court in a case related to a fake social media post alleging a police recruitment exam paper leak. The FIR, registered on 22 August 2024 at Lucknow's Husainganj police station, accused several individuals of spreading misinformation and demanding money from candidates. The court observed that Shah’s involvement was limited to a single tweet, which may have been objectionable, but emphasized the constitutional protection of free expression. He was cautioned to exercise restraint in future social media activity.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tiwari |first=Mahendra |date=9 September 2024 |title=Bahraich News: हाई कोर्ट ने सपा नेता पूर्व मंत्री यासर शाह को दी चेतावनी, गिरफ्तारी पर लगाई रोक |trans-title=High Court warns SP leader and former minister Yasar Shah, bans his arrest |url=https://www.patrika.com/bahraich-news/bahraich-news-high-court-warns-sp-leader-and-former-minister-yasar-shah-bans-his-arrest-18973315 |access-date=3 August 2025 |website=Patrika |language=hi}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Shah, Yasar}} Category:Living people Category:1977 births Category:People from Bahraich Category:Samajwadi Party politicians from Uttar Pradesh Category:Uttar Pradesh MLAs 2012–2017 Category:Uttar Pradesh MLAs 2017–2022 Category:State cabinet ministers of Uttar Pradesh Category:Politicians from Uttar Pradesh