Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and former minister Azam Khan on Sunday made a below the belt 'khaki' comment on Jaya Prada, who is contesting the Lok Sabha poll from the Rampur constituency on the BJP ticket.

"I brought her (Jaya Prada) to Rampur. You are a witness that I did not allow anyone to touch her body. It took you 17 years to identify her real face but I got to know in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear," said Khan while addressing an election rally.

Azam Khan, who is in the fray from Rampur on the SP ticket, made the remark in the presence of former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav and other senior party leaders, who were present on the dais.

"BJP candidate! You told TV channels after performing 'puja' that there is a 'daanav' in Rampur. I have to finish. I did not know what 'daanav' meant. My Hindu friends told me that it means 'rakhshas," said Khan.

"Remember, for two people, I was expelled from the SP. I did not rebel. I did not complain and I waited. I did not change the boat," he said.

Urging people to stay united, the SP leader said, "Hug Dalits because injustice has been done to them for thousands of years. Think and decide but once you decide, don't go back. Stay united and you will see that the throne from here to Delhi will be yours."

"It is not a question of victory or defeat. It is not even a question of my victory or defeat. The question is if the change will happen in the country or not," he said.

"Let one Azam Khan get sacrificed but PM Modi's cruel rule must go way. Those who make Ali-Bajrang Bali fight, their rule should go," he said.

National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma termed Azam Khan's alleged below-the-belt remarks against Jaya Prada as "extremely disgraceful" and said the women panel will be sending a show cause notice to him.

Reacting to Khan's remarks, she tweeted that the NCW would also be requesting the Election Commission to bar him from contesting elections.

Absolutely disgraceful. #AazamKhan is always abusive and disrespectful towards women. @ncw will take Suo Moto and will send a notice to him. Will request #ElectionCommission to bar him from contesting elections. https://t.co/4SdNIUC3dk rekha sharma (@sharmarekha) April 14, 2019

The election for 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state is scheduled to be conducted in all seven phases. Eight seats in the state went to polls in the first phase on April 11. The final phase of voting will take place on May 19. The results will be announced on May 23.