Senior Keralam CPI(M) leader Baby John dies at 74

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Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader and former Thrissur district secretary of the party Baby John has died at the age of 74. A member of the CPI(M) State secretariat, John had also served as Thrissur district secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

Born in 1952, John became associated with the Left movement in 1969 and joined the party in 1971. In July 2006, he was appointed CPI(M) Thrissur district secretary.

His organisational experience also extended to several trade unions and mass organisations. He served as CITU district secretary, district president and secretary of the Beedi Workers’ Union, State vice-president of the Kerala Beedi and Cigar Workers’ Federation, district secretary of the Fishermen’s Union and president of the Chavakkad regional Toddy Workers’ Union and Thrissur District Headload and General Workers’ Union.

John was also active in the Kerala Karshaka Sangham and led several struggles highlighting the concerns of farmers, workers and ordinary people.

He was a teacher at PVM LP School, Blangad, Thaikkad panchayat, from 1971. During the Emergency, he was arrested twice and spent two-and-a-half months in jail. He was also suspended from teaching for one-and-a-half years following police action. He took voluntary retirement in 1991 to become a full-time political worker.

John contested the 2011 Assembly election from Manalur.

The body will be kept for public homage at the CPI(M) Thrissur district committee office from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Monday, before being taken to his home. Public homage will be held at his Poovathur residence until 2.30 p.m., followed by a public viewing at the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Hall in Chavakkad from 3 p.m. The funeral will be held at the Chavakkad public crematorium at 4 p.m.

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