MA Baby, who has been elected as the new general secretary of the Communist Party of India –Marxist(CPI-M), is known within the party as a pragmatic communist. While remaining committed to ideology, Baby stands out from many other leaders in following and embracing changes in the world.

Ideological commitment, practical approaches, closeness to the cultural scene, clarity of ideas and firm stances are the characteristics that marked the communist leader Mariam Alexander Baby, popularly known as MA Baby. While remaining within the systematic framework of the CPI-M, Baby did not hesitate to interact with new ideas. Even while adhering to communist principles, M A Baby was not rigid in his approaches. Wide reading, a keenness to recognize the changes taking place in the world, and a willingness to engage in constructive debates made him a different leader in the Communist Party. MA Baby is the second leader from Kerala to attain the general secretary’s post after veteran EMS Namboodiripad.

Advertisement

Born on April 5, 1954, in Prakkulam, Kollam, the youngest of eight children of Kunnath P. M. Alexander and Lily, a teacher, M. A. Baby was educated at Prakkulam NSS High School and Kollam SN College. Baby, who entered student politics through the Kerala Students Federation, was active in organizations such as SFI and DYFI. Baby became the state president of SFI in 1975 and became the organization’s All India President in 1979.

During the Emergency, Baby, who was a student at SN college, Kollam at the time, was arrested and brutally tortured in jail. In 1986, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha at the age of 32, making him one of the youngest members at the time. He served as Minister of Education in the LDF government headed by V S Achuthanandan. (2006-11). He became a member of the CPI-M Central Committee in 1989. At the 20th party Congress held in Kozhikode, he was elected to the Politbureau.

He is married to Betty Louis and has a son Ashok Betty Nelson.

As party general secretary, in a situation when the CPI-M’s footprint is at present largely restricted to Kerala, the responsibility of expanding the party’s base to larger areas and regain lost ground lies with him.