New Delhi: The Election Commission is learnt to have issued a showcause notice to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his 'Modi ji ki sena' remark made during a poll rally at Ghaziabad earlier this week. PTI Sources in the poll panel said, prima facie, Adityanath has violated the EC's advisory of keeping armed forces away from political campaign. A functionary said Adityanath has been asked to reply by Friday evening.

The EC took the decision based on a video clip submitted by the Ghaziabad district magistrate which shows Adityanath making the remarks at the election rally there on Sunday.

Adityanath, who addressed election meetings in Ghaziabad and Greater Noida on Sunday, had lashed out at the Congress for what he called was its "soft approach towards terrorism and terrorists".

"Congress ke log aatankwadiyon ko biryani khilate the aur Modiji ki sena aatankwadiyon ko goli aur gola deti hai. (Congress leaders would feed biryani to terrorists, while Modi's army gives them bullets and bombs). This is the difference. The Congress people use 'ji' to refer to (JeM chief) Masood Azhar to encourage terrorism," Adityanath had said at the Ghaziabad election rally.

The BJP leader was campaigning for sitting MP and Union minister V K Singh.

The Election Commission had on March 19 asked political parties to "desist" from indulging in any propaganda involving actions taken by defence forces during their Lok Sabha poll campaigns.

The advisory was issued days after the poll panel asked parties and their candidates against using pictures of defence force personnel in their campaign material.

"...parties/candidates are advised that their campaigners/candidates should desist, as part of their election campaigning, from indulging in any political propaganda involving activities of defence forces," it had said.

Former Navy Chief Admiral L Ramdas had Monday said he would approach the Election Commission against Adityanath for his remarks and claimed that many veterans and those in service were upset over it.