New Delhi: Former Kerala education minister, Mariam Alexander Baby has been elected as the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI(M)). The decision was taken at the 24th congress of the party on Sunday, April 6.

“Comrade M A Baby elected the new #CPIM general secretary! Red Salute to Comrade Baby,” the party announced in a post on X.

Born on April 5, 1954, in Kollam, Kerala, M.A. Baby had developed an early interest in politics in his school years. Now 70, Baby moved up the ranks of the CPI(M) since his days in the Students Federation of India (SFI) and later the youth wing of the party, DYFI.

He has been a polit bureau member since 2012.

Baby served as a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1986 to 1998, and later became MLA from Kundara constituency for two terms from 2006 to 2016. He also served as the state’s education minister from 2006-2011.

The position of party general secretary fell vacant last year with Sitaram Yechury’s death in September. Prakash Karat had stepped in as the interim coordinator.

The 24th congress elected an 85-member central committee was also elected, with 20% of the members being women. 

It also elected an 18-member polit bureau with eight new members. Pinarayi Vijayan was given exemption from the age bar of 75 years for polit bureau members to hold party positions, to continue being the chief minister of Kerala. 

Meanwhile, Prakash Karat and Brinda Karat have stepped down from the Politburo. The duo, along with Manik Sarkar, have been made special invitees to the Central Committee of the CPI(M).

The position of party general secretary fell vacant after Sitaram Yechury’s death last year in September, following which Prakash Karat stepped in as the interim coordinator.

The CPI(M) party congress is held once every three years.

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