The Kerala State Secretariat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met on December 29, Friday, and decided to bring Chengannur MLA Saji Cherian back to the cabinet. Saji Cheriyan resigned from the cabinet in July 2022, following a controversy over the comments he made on the Indian Constitution. CPI(M) State Secretary MV Govindan told reporters on Friday that the decision to bring him back is made and it is up to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Governor to decide on the date of the oath-taking ceremony. The decision came after a division bench of the Kerala High Court dismissed a plea seeking the disqualification of Saji Cherian as an MLA.
At an event in Pathanamthitta on July 5, the then Fisheries Minister Saji Cheriyan had said that the Constitution "condoned exploitation [of workers]" and was written in a way to help "plunder the people.” The remarks had sparked controversy with the opposition parties criticising his choice of words. Both the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged protests, demanding his resignation.
Saji Cheriyan’s comeback to ministry was questioned by the opposition. Congress MP (Member of Parliament) from Vadakara K Muraleedharan told the media that the decision was wrong. “He did not criticise the constitution but he mocked it,” the MP said. The then Minister had later defended his statements, saying that he had not intended to portray the Constitution in a poor light and that his remarks were "misconstrued" by a section of the media.
The local police, which probed the case early this month, decided to close it as it did not have merit. It was afterward that the crucial Division Bench ruling of the Kerala High Court dismissed a plea that sought the disqualification of Saji Cheriyan as MLA. While he was the Minister for Fisheries, Culture, and Youth Affairs, these portfolios were reallocated to other ministers P A Mohamed Riyas, V N Vasavan, and V Abdurahiman, respectively, and no new minister was given his portfolios.