CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat on Monday parried questions on whether veteran Marxist leaders Jyoti Basu and Harkishan Singh Surjeet would continue in the politburo, but said he favoured "an early retirement policy".

"We will decide on that in this Congress," he said when he was asked the question.

He later smiled and added "all of us would like an early retirement policy."

The last party Congress in Delhi had decided to keep the two nonagenarian leaders in the politburo to seek their guidance, even though they were unable to attend meetings due to ill-health.

At the Congress, Basu sent a video-recorded message from Kolkata expressing regrets for not being able to attend the crucial meet on health grounds.