The Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo has left the final decision on the appointment of Kerala's new chief minister to its legislature party in the state.

Prakash Karat, general secretary, and Sitaram Yechury, member of the politburo, will be travelling to Thiruvananthapuram on May 15, when the legislature party is due to meet.

• In Kerala, it is CPI-M versus CPI-M

Senior CPI-M leader V S Achuthanandan and the party's state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan are contenders for the post.

Taling to the press, Karat wondered how a 74-year-old is any younger to a 82-year-old when asked if there will be a younger chief minister in Kerala.

The politburo, however, approved the name of Buddhadeb Bhattacharya to head the council of ministers in West Bengal. The decision on other matters governance will be taken later, it was said.

• 'Naxalites only want to kill the police and CPI-M'

The politburo is to meet in Kolkata on May 27 and 28 to discuss the overall political situation. The subsequent report is to be presented to the central committee at its meeting in Hyderabad from June 8-10.