Lok Sabha polls LIVE: Modi gets clean chit over Pulwama, Balakot remarks

Rahul Gandhi, BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and Yogi Adityanath will address rallies in Rajasthan ahead of 5th phase of Lok Sabha elections. Catch LIVE updates on General elections 2019

Congress President Rahul Gandhi will address Lok Sabha elections 2019 rally today in Rajasthan. Union minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh and UP CM Adityanath will also address rallies in different parts of the state.

In a clean chit to the prime minister, the Election Commission yesterday said Narendra Modi's speech in Latur last month in which he had urged first time voters to dedicate their vote in the name of the Balakot air strike heroes and the soldiers killed in the Pulwama attack is not violative of its instructions on invoking armed forces in poll campaigns.

Addressing a rally in Ausa in Maharashtra's Latur on April 9, Modi had said, "Can your first vote be dedicated to those who carried out the air strike." "I want to tell the first-time voters: Can your first vote be dedicated to the veer jawans (valiant soldiers) who carried out the air strike in Pakistan. Can your first vote be dedicated to the veer shaheed (brave martyrs) of Pulwama (terror attack)," Modi had said.

Earlier in the day, Congress had accused EC of favouring Modi. The party said, "It has crystal clear that the Model code of Conduct has become 'Modi Code of Conduct'.