The decisions he makes in the coming months are expected to either cement his path to the county seat or destroy his political career entirely.
Babu first entered parliament in 2017 defeating then MP Joseph Oguttu on an ODM ticket before successfully defending his seat in 2022 against UDA's Francis Mureithi in a fiercely contested race.
Before his parliamentary career he was a prominent student leader and is considered one of Kenya's most educated politicians currently serving also as a practising advocate.
His biggest headache right now is his relationship with ODM. Babu belongs to the Linda Mwananchi faction led by ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna alongside Siaya Governor James Orengo and Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi.
This faction is in direct conflict with the wing led by Dr Oburu Oginga who is the brother of the late Raila Odinga.
"Sidhani kama uteuzi ODM utakuwa huru kwa sababu ya ushirikiano wa chama na Gavana Sakaja," Babu said in a radio interview last month raising fears about the fairness of any ODM nomination process.
ODM has been building closer ties with Governor Johnson Sakaja since early 2025 when the party supported Raila's AUC chairmanship bid.
Dr Oburu Oginga responded directly to Babu's complaints saying the MP had visited his office and admitted he could not stand fully on the ODM side because he needed votes from Mount Kenya and Ukambani regions.
Oburu added that whichever political side Babu chooses he risks being sidelined because neither coalition is truly counting on him.
The opposition coalition under former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has also complicated matters. Gachagua announced a deal with Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka reserving the Nairobi Governor seat for DCP.
That puts Babu on a collision course with Embakasi North MP James Gakuya who has Gachagua's backing and has been eyeing the governorship since 2013.
Babu could choose to run as an independent relying on his massive youth support base in Nairobi.
However political analyst Martin Andati warns that Nairobi politics is heavily tribal and that winning the governorship without aligning with a presidential candidate is extremely difficult given the seat's economic and political weight.
If he wins as an independent he would become the first to do so since 2013 following Evans Kidero Mike Sonko and Johnson Sakaja who all ran on party tickets.
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