Power at Centre, aimed at state
When the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government came to power in May 2004, Lalu wrangled a seat in the Union Cabinet. He became the country's railway minister, a lucrative post for any Bihar leader.
Since its roads are so abysmal - Lalu once famously promised he would make Bihar's roads smooth as actress Hema Malini's cheeks, but it remained one of his many unfulfilled promises - the railways are key to movement within Bihar.
And anyone who can offer sops to train commuters offers sops to Bihar.
Even as railway minister, Lalu sought to drive home the BJP's anti-Muslim image. Just before the Bihar elections in February, a railway enquiry committee declared there was no conspiracy behind the fire that engulfed the Sabarmati Express in Godhra in February 2002.
The Gujarat riots that followed the Godhra fire were sought to be justified as a retaliation to the pre-planned attack on Hindu kar sevaks. The railway probe results debunked that theory, and fed to the belief that the riots were engineered by Hindutva forces, read the BJP. The message to Muslims in Bihar was clear: the BJP is your enemy. Vote for me, I will protect you.
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