The Congress, held every three years, is meeting in the backdrop of offers by Surjeet to step down as general secretary.
Indications are that the mantle would fall on Prakash Karat.
So the lens will be trained on what stand the party takes on stalwarts like Jyoti Basu and Surjeet.
Basu and Surjeet have been the most visible faces of the CPI-M for long. But, Surjeet is now 89 and Basu will be 91 soon.
Basu has also offered to quit as politburo member.
Party insiders say age has caught up with them and it is time for them to go.
CPI-M circles have already informally agreed that the mantle of running the party, once Surjeet gives up his post, would fall on Karat.
However, Karat, often considered the most respected CPM ideologue, refused to comment.
In the coming days, the CPI-M will decide who will now run the party and how it would be run.
CPM politburo member Prakash Karat (standing) with senior party leaders Jyoti Basu and Harkishan Singh Surjeet.
Photograph: Sondeep Shankar/ Saab Press