Who is MA Baby? Meet the New CPI(M) General Secretary Making History!

MA Baby Takes the Helm of CPI(M)

Madurai: On Sunday, veteran politician MA Baby was elected as the general secretary of the CPI(M) during its 24th All India Party Congress.

Baby, a former state minister, becomes the second leader from Kerala to assume this prestigious role, following the legacy of CPI(M) icon EMS Namboodiripad. Although Prakash Karat, who held the position from 2005 to 2015, is also from Kerala, he was affiliated with the party's Delhi unit.

Notably, Baby is the first general secretary from a minority community within the CPI(M).

There was some support for Ashok Dhawale, the president of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), from various leaders including Surya Kanta Mishra, Nilotpal Basu, Mohd Salim, and Ramchandra Dome.

Karat, who acted as interim coordinator leading up to the congress after the death of Sitaram Yechury, remarked, "The congress has outlined a political strategy for the future, along with necessary organizational measures to advance the party, resulting in the election of new leadership, a new Central Committee, a new Politburo, and a new general secretary."

Having been a member of the CPI(M) Politburo since 2012, Baby described himself as an "obedient soldier" of the party.

After his election, he acknowledged the party's declining strength and emphasized the need for unity among CPI(M) members to bolster its influence.

In his address to the delegates, Baby urged for the consolidation of the party's various committees and mass organizations.

"If we collaborate effectively across all branches and committees, we can activate our mass organizations, which boast over five million members, to tackle the challenges ahead," he stated.

Born in 1954 in Prakkulam, Kerala, to PM Alexander and Lilly Alexander, Baby's political journey began in school with the Kerala Students' Federation, a precursor to the Students Federation of India (SFI).

He served in the Rajya Sabha from 1986 to 1998 and held the position of education minister in the Kerala government led by VS Achuthanandan from 2006 to 2011.

An enthusiast of music, cinema, and literature, Baby is married to Betty Louis, who has been active in the SFI's Kerala state committee. They have a son named Ashok Betty Nelson.

The general secretary position became vacant after Yechury's passing last September.

During the 24th All India Party Congress, a new Central Committee and Politburo were formed, with several senior leaders retiring after reaching the age limit and new members being introduced.

The newly elected 84-member Central Committee includes 30 newcomers, while the 18-member Politburo features eight fresh faces.