Kerala’s Cultural Affairs Minister and senior CPI(M) leader Saji Cherian on Wednesday issued an apology and withdrew his controversial comments on alleged communal polarisation in the recent local body elections in the state’s northern districts.

The minister had sparked political backlash earlier this week after suggesting that voting patterns in Kasaragod municipality and Malappuram district panchayat reflected communal divisions. Referring to the election results, Cherian had pointed out that while the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the BJP secured 22 and 12 seats respectively in Kasaragod municipality, the CPI(M) managed to win only one seat. He had remarked that there could come a time when candidates might struggle to win in areas where their community is not numerically dominant.

His statements drew sharp criticism from the Congress and the IUML, both of which accused the CPI(M) of attempting to polarise voters along religious lines ahead of forthcoming elections.

Responding to the backlash, Cherian’s office released a statement saying his remarks had been distorted and taken out of context. The minister said he was deeply hurt by attempts to portray his comments as targeting any specific community and described the ongoing narrative as factually incorrect.

Stressing his lifelong commitment to secular values, Cherian said the misinterpretation of his words by various individuals, community leaders and spiritual organisations caused him pain. Expressing regret, he formally withdrew the remarks and apologised for the misunderstanding.