CPI(M) Elects Mariam Alexander Baby as General Secretary at 24th Congress in Madurai

M.A. Baby was elected as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at the party’s 24th All India Conference in Madurai on April 6, 2025.
| Photo Credit: MOORTHY. G

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has chosen one of its most seasoned leaders in Kerala, Mariam Alexander Baby, as its new General Secretary. The announcement came at the party’s 24th Congress, which concluded on April 6 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

The election followed the untimely demise of Sitaram Yechury. Until a new leader was chosen, a senior Politburo member and former General Secretary, Prakash Karat, was tasked with coordinating party affairs.

Popularly known as “Comrade” Baby, the 71-year-old veteran becomes only the second leader from Kerala—after E.M.S. Namboodiripad—to be elected to the party’s highest office. Although initial murmurs of dissent surfaced, particularly from delegates representing West Bengal and Maharashtra, the Central Committee held an extended session to resolve the differences. Sources indicated that senior leader Ashok Dhawale from Maharashtra had also expressed interest, but ultimately, the consensus favoured Baby.

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At the Congress’s conclusion, the party announced Baby’s unanimous election as its sixth General Secretary. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan publicly declared the result, while Prakash Karat—named a special invitee to the Central Committee—formally announced Baby’s name.

The 85-member Central Committee also elected an 18-member Politburo, which includes two women: U. Vasuki and Mariam Dhawale. Of the 30 new members inducted into the Central Committee, 17 are women. In addition to Karat, Brinda Karat, Manik Sarkar, Subhashini Ali, S. Ramachandran Pillai, Biman Basu, and Hannan Mollah have been named as special invitees.

M.A. Baby has had a long and active political career. He served as president of both the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). He represented Kerala in the Rajya Sabha from 1986 to 1998 and later served as MLA from Kundara (2006–16). Between 2006 and 2011, he was Kerala’s Minister for General Education and Culture. He was inducted into the Politburo in 2012.

Born on April 5, 1954, in Kollam, Kerala, to P.M. Alexander and Lilly Alexander, Baby was drawn to politics from a young age. His rise as a key figure in Kerala’s Left movement began during his college years when he was actively involved in various social and political causes that laid the foundation for his political journey.

Now, as general secretary, Baby faces a bouquet of challenges. He takes the reins at a critical moment, with the party preparing for crucial elections in Kerala and West Bengal.

In his first address at the Congress’ closing session, Baby pledged to strengthen the CPI(M) with the support of the working class. “All democratic forces must unite to defeat the nefarious designs of neo-fascist forces attacking the working class and their allies,” he declared. “We must build our party’s independent strength to confront these forces that threaten secularism, democracy, and people’s unity.”

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He stressed on the need to fight the Modi government’s neo-liberal policies and expose the Hindutva-corporate nexus, which he said is detrimental to India’s democracy and constitutional values.

Baby urged party members to take the discussions and resolutions from the Congress to the people across the country. The six-day Party Congress, inaugurated by Prakash Karat on April 1, concluded on April 6. Notably, of the five Party Congresses hosted by Tamil Nadu, three were held in Madurai.