{{Short description|Indian politician (born 1951)}} {{distinguish|K. Babu (CPIM politician)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = K Babu | native_name = കെ.ബാബു | image = K. Babu, Minister.jpg | office1 = Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Excise,<br />Government of Kerala | term_start1 = 18 May 2011 | term_end1 = 23 January 2016 | predecessor1 = S. Sarma (as Minister of Fisheries & Ports) <br />P. K. Gurudasan (as Minister of Excise) | successor1 = Oommen Chandy | office2 = Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly | constituency2 = Thrippunithura | term_start2 = 2 May 2021 | term_end2 = 21 May 2026 | predecessor2 = M. Swaraj | successor2 = Deepak Joy | constituency = | term_start3 = 1991 | term_end3 = 2016 | predecessor3 = | successor3 = M. Swaraj | party = Indian National Congress | 1blankname1 = Chief minister | 1namedata1 = Oommen Chandy | spouse = Smt. Geetha | children = 2 daughters | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1951|06|02}} | birth_place = Angamaly, Kochi | death_date = | death_place = | website = | footnotes = | date = 26 October | year = 2012 | source = http://kerala.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3879&Itemid=3069 kerala.gov.in }}

'''K. Babu''' (Malayalam: കെ .ബാബു) (born 2 June 1951 in Angamaly, Cochin, Keralam, India) is an Indian politician and the former Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Excise, Government of Kerala. He was the representative of Thripunithura constituency in Kerala from 1991 to 2016 and again from 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/mem/k_babu.htm |title=Members - Kerala Legislature |access-date=26 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127015802/http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/mem/k_babu.htm |archive-date=27 January 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Early life== K Babu was born to K.Kumaran and Ponnamma at Angamaly, Ernakulam district of Kerala. He completed his high school life in Angamaly St. Joseph school and is a degree holder from Sree Sankara College, Kalady. Mr. Babu married Geetha, they have two daughters and live near Tripunithura, Ernakulam.

==Political life==

Babu started his political career through the Kerala Students Union (KSU) in 1966. He was the first Chairman of Angamaly Municipal Council and the youngest Municipal Chairman then in Kerala. He served as Director, Kerala Plantation Corporation and Kerala State Consumer Federation. Was Vice-Chairman, Kerala University Union; President, Youth Congress Block Committee, Youth Congress District Committee (1977) and District Football Association, Ernakulam; General Secretary, Ernakulam District Congress Committee (1982–1991); General Secretary, I.N.T.U.C.; Office bearer of several Trade Unions in Kerala. Founder of Fine Arts Society, Angamaly. Executive Committee Member, K.P.C.C.

K. Babu was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1991 by defeating M.M. Lawrance of CPM with a margin of 4946 votes from Tripunithura constituency. It was considered a major political change in the constituency, as Tripunithura was a known Communist (Left) bastion till then. Babu has represented Tripunithura since then in the Kerala Legislative Assembly as he was re-elected in the years 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2006 RESULTS |url=http://ceo.kerala.gov.in/pdf/LAC-2006-RESULS/075.pdf |website=ceo.kerala.gov.in}}</ref>

Pinarayi Vijayan of CPM alleged that Babu had won the seat with the help of BJP votes. Babu denied those allegations and stated "The allegation against me that I won the election with BJP’s votes was a smear campaign. CPM members couldn’t accept people’s verdict and the defeat of their candidate."<ref>{{Cite web|title=K Babu comes down on CPM|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2021/sep/16/k-babu-comes-down-on-cpm-2359316.html|access-date=2022-02-13|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|agency=TNN|date=May 5, 2021|title=Kerala chief minister insulted voters, says K Babu {{!}} Kochi News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/chief-minister-insulted-voters-says-k-babu/articleshow/82393811.cms|access-date=2022-02-13|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" id="toc" : left; margin-left: 2em; width: 40%; font-size: 90%;" cellspacing="3" !colspan="4"|'''Election Victories''' |- |'''Year'''||'''Closest rival'''||'''Majority (votes)''' |- |1991||M.M.Lawrance (CPM)||4,946 |- |1996||Gopi Kottamurikkal(CPM)||14,773 |- |2001||K.Chandran Pillai (CPM)||24,296 |- |2006||K.N.Ravindranath (CPM)||7,342 |- |2011|| C.M. Dinesh Mani (CPM)||15,887 |- |2021 |M Swaraj (CPIM) |1,232 |}

==Minister== K.Babu was sworn in as a minister in Kerala for the first time in 2011. He was sworn in on 18 May 2011 as the Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Excise in the Oommen Chandy Ministry 2011-2016.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2016-02-01|title=K Babu returns as Kerala Excise Minister|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/k-babu-returns-as-kerala-excise-minister-116020100464_1.html|access-date=2022-02-13}}</ref>

'''Portfolios'''

Excise, Ports, Harbour Engineering, Fisheries, Fisheries University, Airports, Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation

==See also== * Government of Kerala * Kerala Ministers

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category|K. Babu}} *{{Cite web|date=2012-01-13|title=Chandy gets his team - southindia - Kerala - ibnlive|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/chandy-gets-his-team/153614-60-116.html|access-date=2022-02-13|website=IBN Live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113214358/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/chandy-gets-his-team/153614-60-116.html|archive-date=13 January 2012}}

{{Oommen Chandy Cabinet 2011}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Babu, K}} Category:State cabinet ministers of Kerala Category:Living people Category:1951 births Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Kerala Category:Politicians from Kochi Category:People from Angamaly Category:Politicians from Ernakulam district Category:Kerala MLAs 1991–1996 Category:Kerala MLAs 1996–2001 Category:Kerala MLAs 2001–2006 Category:Kerala MLAs 2006–2011