Baby John Dies at 74: Veteran CPI(M) Leader Passes Away After Prolonged Illness

Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader, CPI(M) State Secretariat member, and prominent trade unionist Baby John passed away on Sunday following a prolonged illness. He was 74. Party sources confirmed that the veteran leader had been undergoing treatment for health complications prior to his demise. His passing marks the end of a dedicated career spanning over five decades in Kerala's Left movement.

Born in 1952, John first became associated with the Left movement in 1969 and formally joined the CPI(M) in 1971. He initially worked as a school teacher at PVM LP School in Blangad before taking voluntary retirement in 1991 to devote himself entirely to full-time political activity. During the 1975–1977 Internal Emergency, John was arrested twice for organizing political protests and spent two-and-a-half months in prison, which also led to a temporary suspension from his teaching role. ‘Great Tamil Scholar’: Rajinikanth Pays Tribute to Solomon Pappaiah After His Death at 90.

A cornerstone of his political career was his deep engagement with labor movements across Thrissur district. John held multiple leadership positions within the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), serving as its district secretary. Over the years, he spearheaded grass-root labor initiatives, representing beedi workers, fishermen, toddy workers, and headload workers. He also served as the State Vice-President of the Kerala Beedi and Cigar Workers’ Federation.

John rose steadily through the party structure, serving as the Chavakkad area secretary from 1984 to 1997 and joining the district committee in 1986. He was appointed the CPI(M) Thrissur district secretary in July 2006, a position he held while expanding the party's grassroots base. He later contested as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate from the Manalur constituency in the 2011 Kerala Assembly elections. Party leaders and political colleagues across Kerala have expressed deep condolences over his passing, highlighting his lifetime of dedication to working-class causes. Ex-India Cricketer S Sreesanth's Father Passes Away Aged 89.

John is survived by his wife, Sheela, and their three children: Manavan, Himavan, and Angana. Arrangements have been made for the public to pay their final respects on Monday. His body will lie in state at the CPI(M) Thrissur District Committee Office from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, followed by public homage at his residence in Poovathur. A final public viewing will take place at the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Hall in Chavakkad at 3:00 PM, ahead of the funeral scheduled for 4:00 PM at the Chavakkad Public Crematorium.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 13, 2026 08:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).