Thiruvananathapuram, May 20 (PTI): CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Pinarayi Vijayan will be the next Chief Minister of Kerala.

The decision to nominate 72-year-old Vijayan was taken at the state secretariat which met at AKG Bhavan, the CPI(M) headquarters, here this morning, party sources said.

A formal announcement is expected by 4 PM today after the state committee most likely ratifies the decision.

93-year-old CPI(M) veteran V S Achutanandan, who was also in the race for the post, was called to the state secretariat and informed about the decision. He soon left for his Cantontment house.

The CPI-M secretariat and party's Kerala committee met here today in the presence of General Secretary Sitaram Yechury to decide the Chief Ministerial candidate after LDF romped home in the Assembly polls.

The state secretariat unanimously decided to make Vijayan the next CM and report it to the state committee. It will ratify the decision, party sources said.

Achuthanandan, who was the face of LDF campaign, and Pinarayi Vijayan were elected to the Assembly from Malampuzha and Pinaryi respectively.

Vijayan is the only politburo member who has been elected to the Assembly this time. In the 140-member state Assembly, CPI(M)-led LDF won 91 seats, UDF headed by Congress got 47 while BJP and Independents bagged one each.

Soon after the decision to nominate Vijayan to the CM's post became known, party workers at AKG Bhavan started celebrations and began distributing sweets.