Who's MA Baby, CPI(M)'s new general secretary
What's the story
MA Baby has been elected as the new general secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist [CPI(M)].
He was elected at the 24th All India Party Congress in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
This is a momentous occasion in CPI(M) history, as Baby is the first general secretary to be elected from a minority and only the second leader from Kerala's unit after EMS Namboodiripad.
Baby will take over from Prakash Karat, who also hails from Kerala but represented the Delhi unit.
Political trajectory
Baby's political journey and early career
Baby was born on 5th April 1954 in Prakkulam, in Kerala's Kollam district. He entered politics through the Kerala Students Federation.
He later became the national president of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and CPI(M)'s youth wing DYFI.
Baby entered the Rajya Sabha at the age of 32 in 1986, making him one of its youngest MPs.
Ministerial tenure
Baby's ministerial role and controversies
Baby was Kerala's education minister during 2006-2011 in V.S. Achuthanandan's Cabinet.
His term was controversial, with several reforms initiated by him, including allegations of promoting atheism in school textbooks.
Despite the storm, he won re-election from Kundara in 2011 and was inducted into CPI(M)'s Polit Bureau in 2012 during the party congress in Kozhikode.
Cultural impact
Baby's cultural contributions and family background
Outside politics, Baby is known to be passionate about music, cinema, and literature. He was instrumental in launching the Kochi Biennale art exhibition and the Swaralaya cultural organization in Delhi.
His wife, Betty Louis, has been involved with CPI(M) as a state committee member of SFI, and their son Ashok Nelson is a member of the musical band Thaikkudam Bridge.
Future plans
Baby's vision for CPI(M) and call for unity
Addressing his first meeting as general secretary, Baby accepted that CPI(M)'s strength was down but stressed on the importance of unity to combat challenges.
He suggested pooling in the strengths of different committees and mass organizations in the party.
"If we work together... There are mass organizations that have more than five million members... If we can activate them, they will be able to face the challenges we are faced with," he said.