The Congress and CPI-M on Friday took strong objection to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee raising of the Ayodhya issue at an election rally in Himachal Pradesh, saying he has committed an offence against the Constitution and downgraded the office of the prime minister.

They objected to Vajpayee's statement that there is historical evidence to prove the existence of a temple at the disputed site and that if this cannot be proved the court can decide the matter.

Party spokesman S Jaipal Reddy told reporters in Delhi the Congress is 'deeply upset' at the manner in which the prime minister has been conducting himself on all sensitive social issues.

But despite what happened in Himachal Pradesh being a clear case of breach of the election code of conduct, the Congress is unlikely to approach the Election Commission on the issue, he added.

However, CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee said the EC should suo motu take cognizance of the prime minister's comments on the Ayodhya issue, 'otherwise we will consider raising it with the EC'.

"The entire dispute is already in court with the title deed suit being heard by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court," the CPI-M said adding the prime minister's statement is a signal his government is shifting from the stand that the courts will decide the matter.

"Coupled with the Centre's move to get the stay by the apex court vacated, the government is clearly taking a partisan stand in favour of the RSS-VHP combine," it said.