Veteran Kerala Leader MA Baby Takes Helm as CPI(M) General Secretary

In a significant leadership transition, seasoned politician MA Baby has been elected general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) during its 24th All India Party Congress. The announcement marks Baby as the second figure from the party’s Kerala unit to assume this pivotal role, following the legacy of EMS Namboodiripad. Notably, Prakash Karat, general secretary from 2005 to 2015, though originally from Kerala, represented the Delhi unit.

The election followed a period of interim coordination by Karat after the death of former general secretary Sitaram Yechury last September. While Baby emerged victorious, a faction within the party had rallied behind All India Kisan Sabha president Ashok Dhawale. Sources revealed that prominent leaders such as Surya Kanta Mishra, Nilotpal Basu, Mohd Salim, and Ramchandra Dome supported Dhawale’s candidacy.

Addressing the congress, Karat emphasized the party’s forward-looking strategy, stating, “The congress has outlined a political roadmap, identified organizational priorities to advance the party, and accordingly elected a new leadership, including a refreshed Central Committee, Politburo, and general secretary.”

Baby, a Politburo member since 2012, described himself as a dedicated “obedient soldier” of CPI(M). In remarks to journalists post-election, he acknowledged a dip in the party’s influence and stressed the need for unity among members to bolster its standing. In his address to delegates, he urged the activation of the party’s committees and mass organizations, which boast over five million members, to confront current challenges effectively.

Hailing from Prakkulam, Kerala, Baby was born in 1954 to PM Alexander and Lilly Alexander. His political journey began with the Kerala Students’ Federation, a forerunner to the Students Federation of India (SFI), during his school years. He later served in the Rajya Sabha from 1986 to 1998 and held the education portfolio in Kerala’s VS Achuthanandan-led government from 2006 to 2011. A man of diverse interests, Baby is passionate about music, cinema, and literature. He is married to Betty Louis, a former Kerala SFI state committee member, and they have a son, Ashok Betty Nelson.

The congress also saw the election of a new 84-member Central Committee, featuring 30 newcomers, and an 18-member Politburo with eight fresh faces, as several senior leaders stepped down due to age limits