THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The appointment of M. A. Baby as the general secretary of the CPI(M) marks the beginning of a new phase in the party’s political history.
The fact that his name was proposed by West Bengal CPI(M) secretary Mohammed Salim and backed by party veteran from Maharashtra Ashok Dhawale speaks eloquently of the harmony that marks the functioning of the CPI(M ) both at the national and state levels.
Baby has a lot to commend himself for the top CPI(M) job . First and foremost, he is the second leader from the Kerala unit to become the helmsman of the national party, the first being the redoubtable E. M. S. Namboodiripad.
A Culture and Education Minister in the VS Achuthanandan-led Government from 2006 to 2011, Baby is known for his love of the arts, music and books. He was the one who persuaded artists Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu into relocating to Kochi the Kochi Muziris Biennale.
The 71-year-old Baby was an atheist to begin with. He took to politics while he was a student at NSS High School, Prakkulam. He became an active participant in student politics during his pre-degree years and later as a student of BA Political Science at S. N. College in Kollam. His active involvement in student and youth movements played a big role in shaping his political career. He soon became a key member of Kerala Students’ Federation and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). The son of P. M. Alexander and Lily Alexander soon became the all-India president of both the Students Federation of India (SFI) and the DYFI.
Baby then made it to the Central Committee of the CPI(M). He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1986 to 1998. Then he became an MLA, winning the election from Kundara assembly constituency in Kollam. He became a member of the Polit Bureau in 2012. Baby contested from the Kollam in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, but lost to N. K. Premachandran of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP).
Apart from being a voracious reader, Baby has also written a number of books on subjects such as Noam Chomsky, the youth movement and education.
His political rivals tend to dismiss Baby as a political lightweight. But Baby is no babe in the woods. His credentials for the top job are impeccable. He was arrested and subjected to police brutalities during the infamous Emergency. True, the challenges he will be called upon to face are daunting. But Baby has the experience and ability to rise to the occasion, having honed his skills by working from Delhi for long years. These skills will stand him in good stead while reviving the fortunes of the CPI(M) in its former strongholds like West Bengal and Tripura.
Political rivals are smacking their lips in anticipation of the ‘myriad problems’ he may face while discharging his new duty as the CPI(M) boss. The detractors will be solely disappointed as Baby has made it clear that his equation with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is extremely good. True, he is frank in voicing his opinions. But that will in no way affect his rapport with Pinarayi. In fact, Baby is already on record that Pinarayi will lead the campaign in the 2026 State Assembly elections.
He has also snubbed the doubting Thomases and cynics by openly defending Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena, who has been named by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) in an “illegal payment” case.
Veena has done nothing wrong as is evident while examining the facts of the case, which Baby asserted, was fabricated simply because she is the daughter of the Chief Minister. “To attack the CPI(M) and the LDF in Kerala, they have to hit on its head…and its head is Pinarayi Vijayan,” he pointed out.
Political rivals are pinning their hopes on the case, which, they think, would adversely affect Pinarayi. What is being witnessed in the investigation of the case is the worst form of an anti-democratic approach and pathological hatred of the CM and the CPI(M), he added.
As for the functioning of the central agencies, he said the less said the better. Everybody knows how these agencies work as the handmaiden of the Modi Government. While targeting the leaders of opposition with lightening speed, these agencies maintain a deafening silence and take no action when it comes to cases against the BJP leaders and the leaders of its allies. What happened to Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar when he switched allegiance to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). All proceedings against him in corruption cases were stopped and he was given a clean chit overnight!
Baby will play an important role in the forthcoming assembly elections next year. His own stature and influence, especially in the southern districts, will help the party in a big way in the 2026 poll battle. Districts like Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam will be benefited greatly by his active involvement in the election campaign.
That he has realized the magnitude of the challenges ahead is clear from the way he has charted his future course of action and listed his priorities. Top priority is to the task of strengthening the independent strength of the CPI(M) itself. His early statements make it clear that the new general secretary will strain every nerve to firm up the party right from the branch committee level. The representation of women in the Central Committee has been raised from 17 per cent to 20 per cent. Of course, more needs to be done. The leaders who have left the Polit Bureau and the CC will also have a key role in increasing the strength of the party, Baby said, adding that the wealth of their rich experience will be of great value in winning this crucial battle.
Equal focus will be given to the important task of battling and defeating the communal forces led by the BJP-RSS combine and the designs of the corporate giants, who are hand in glove with the Government at the Centre. All efforts would be made to safeguard the Constitution and secular and democratic fabric of the country, the soft-spoken pacifist averred.
Kerala received increased representation in the Central Committee on the strength of being the strongest unit of the CPI(M). Kerala also has the distinction of being the only state where the CPI(M)-led Left parties are in power. (IPA Service)
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