The timing could not have been more curious. On the very day the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Congress and their allies sealed their seat-sharing deal for the ongoing Bihar Assembly elections, a Delhi court framed charges of corruption and conspiracy against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and son Tejashwi Yadav. That coincidence alone raises eyebrows. It is difficult to believe that this case—rooted in allegations made nearly two decades ago—has reached this stage now by mere happenstance. The case concerns the award of contracts for two IRCTC hotels during Lalu’s tenure as railway minister between 2004 and 2009. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claims that the contracts were granted in exchange for three acres of land allegedly received by Lalu’s family through a bena

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