Senior CPI(M) leader and politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan is set to become the next Chief Minister of Kerala. A decision to this effect was taken by the state committee of the party that met here this morning.
This will be formally announced later in the evening, sources in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) said.
The central leadership, it is learnt, has extended its concurrence with this decision.
Contender V.S. Achuthanandan, Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing assembly and himself a former chief minister, has been sounded on this, sources said.
Achuthanandan was specially invited to the meeting of the state committee for the purpose.
Pinarayi's choice was a foregone conclusion after the LDF won a close to two-thirds majority in the elections.
But the general expectation was that nonagenarian Achuthanandan could put up some resistance and delay his anointment.
Achuthanandan had told the media earlier that he was willing to give it a go if the party decided that he become the Chief Minister for a second term.