Cong, JVM tie up for J'khand polls almost certain

An alliance between Congress and JVM appears almost certain for the Assembly elections in Jharkhand later this month and in December.

A senior JVM leader, who declined to be identified, said the alliance has been finalised but there was no immediate word from the Congress.

Before making a formal announcement, AICC incharge of Jharkhand K Keshav Rao and Chairman of the Screening Committee of the state and AICC General Secretary Mukul Wasnik met Congress President Sonia Gandhi today. They were accompanied by some leaders from Jharkhand who had joined the Congress recently.

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

Former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, who heads the JVM, is considered to have a clean image.

Sources said the 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.