The Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo will meet on May 13 to decide the names of chief ministers in Kerala and West Bengal, politburo member Sitaram Yechury said on Thursday.

Yechury, who was the first senior leader to reach the party headquarters in New Delhi, said that the polls have proved that the CPM does not resort or believe in scientific rigging, as was alleged in some quarters.

He also said that the anti-incumbency factor does not play a part in West Bengal politics.

With the Left Democratic Front all set to wrest power in Kerala, interest now centred around who would be the new chief minister and the Communist Party of India-Marxist politbureau is meeting on May 13 to decide the issue.

Declining to name the possible chief minister, Yechury said these are decisions based on the collective will of the party. 

"It is not a question of young or old. It has to be seen whether they are keeping pace with the changing times," he said when asked whether veteran leader V S Achuthanandan was too old for the post.

He said the media said the same thing about Budhadeb Bhattacharya before he became West Bengal chief minister.

To a query as to who are the possible contenders for the top post in Kerala, Yechury said, "Only the politbureau is privy to this information and the issue will be decided at the meeting on May 13."

Asked whether the credit for the victory in West Bengal would go to Bhattacharya, he said it is a verdict for the policies of the Front and the credit should be shared by everyone including the chief minister and the party cadre.

With PTI inputs

Complete Coverage: The Five-State Fight