Thiruvananthapuram, May 7 -- The 63-member Congress legislature party (CLP) in Kerala on Thursday formally authorised the party leadership to pick the nominee for the chief minister's post, a move that comes against the backdrop of intense lobbying for the top post.

"A one-line resolution was passed by the party asking the high command to take the decision (on the CM's post)," Chalakudy lawmaker Saneesh Kumar Joseph told reporters after the legislature party's meeting in Thiruvananthapuram.

The formal resolution was moved by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sunny Joseph and passed with the support of leaders such as VD Satheesan, the leader of opposition in the outgoing assembly and 69-year-old Ramesh Chennithala, a former Kerala...