Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) chief Babulal Marandi met Congress President Sonia Gandhi here today signalling that an alliance was on the cards between the two parties for the coming Assembly elections.

After a 30-minute meeting with Gandhi, the former Jharkhand Chief Minister sped past waiting reporters, but leaders of JVM as also state Congress hinted that a tie-up has been finalised.

Marandi's meeting with Gandhi came close on the heels of her consultations with AICC incharge of Jharkhand K Keshav Rao and AICC General Secretary Mukul Wasnik. Wasnik is Chairman of the AICC's screening committee for Jharkhand elections.

Congress had announced the names of 49 candidates while JVM has announced the names of nine candidates so far for the 81-member House.

Marandi, considered as a person with clean image, had headed a BJP Government but parted ways with that party soon after his removal from the post.

Sources in the two parties said Congress has deliberately not announced its candidates for most of those seats being demanded by Marandi to leave ample scope for an alliance even at a later stage.

Congress decision to go with JVM could be considered a setback for JMM as also RJD, with whom it had contested the last Assembly elections.

JMM, led by former Chief Minister Shibu Soren, is part of the Congress-led UPA.

A section in the Congress was against tie-up with JMM contending that it would give impression that Soren was their Chief Ministerial candidate and might alienate non-tribal voters.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad had met Gandhi some time back pleading for a secular alliance in Jharkhand.

In the state, which goes to polls later this month and in December, BJP has tied up with JD(U), with which it shares power in neighbouring Bihar.