"I express regret if the words used by me hurt anybody or caused mental agony," he said in a Facebook posting.
Balaram, MLA from Thrithala in Palakkad district, said he also wanted to put an end to the controversy over the remark.
In his Facebook postings yesterday, he had made critical comments against Idukki Bishop Mathew Anikkuzhikattil, who had come down heavily on a section of the Congress leadership recently.
Senior Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and KPCC President V M Sudheeran had taken exception to Balaram's remark.