Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed regret over comments he made referring to people in Gujarat as "illiterate" during a poll rally in Kerala, calling the media reaction a deliberate misinterpretation of his speech.

In a statement posted on X, Kharge said, "Some remarks of mine in a recent election speech in Kerala are being deliberately misinterpreted. Even so, I express my sincere regret. It was never my intention to hurt the sentiments of the people of Gujarat for whom I have always had and will continue to have the highest of respect."

During the rally in Idukki district, Kharge had said, "Don't misguide the people of Kerala. They are very clever, they are educated. Modi ji, Vijay (Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan), you both can fool those who are illiterate in Gujarat or other places, but you can't fool Kerala people."

The remarks have sparked a political stir just days ahead of Gujarat’s pivotal local body elections. The BJP criticized Kharge’s comments, framing them as an affront to Gujarat’s cultural and historical pride and invoking the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.