Mariam Alexander Baby, fondly known as MA Baby, has been appointed as the new General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday, marking a new phase in his long-standing political career. MA Baby will be CPM’s sixth general secretary. Prakash Karat proposed his name in the meeting. MA Baby is the second leader from the Kerala unit, after EMS Namboodiripad, to attain this position.
Early life and education
Born on April 5, 1954, MA Baby hails from Prakkulam in Kollam district. He is the son of PM Alexander and Lilly Alexander. His early education began at Prakkulam Lower Primary School and continued at Prakkulam NSS High School. It was during his time in high school that he first became involved in political activities.
After completing his schooling, he enrolled for plus two at SN College in Kollam. He later joined the same college for a bachelor's degree in Political Science but did not complete his bachelor's degree.
MA Baby is married to Betty Louis, and the couple has a son named Ashok Betty Nelson.
Entry into politics and rise through the ranks
MA Baby's political career began when he joined the Kerala Students Federation (KSF), the predecessor of Students Federation of India during his school days. Over time, he took on responsible positions in SFI, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), and the CPM. He served as a member of the CPM Politburo.
Tenure as Education Minister of Kerala
During his tenure as Kerala's Education Minister from 2006 to 2011, Baby introduced several key reforms aimed at improving the state's education system. He played a key role in implementing the single-window admission process for higher secondary education, which helped bring order and efficiency to the admission framework. His term also saw the introduction of grading systems in high schools and increased transparency through continuous internal assessments and evaluation methods.
Parliamentary and electoral journey
MA Baby served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from 1986 to 1998. In 2011, he contested and won the legislative assembly election from the Kundara constituency by defeating Congress candidate Adv. P. Jermias.
In the 2014 general elections, Baby stood as a CPM candidate from Kollam but was defeated by NK Premachandran of the Revolutionary Socialist Party.
Published: 06 Apr 2025, 10:32 am IST
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