A BJP delegation on Thursday met Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore, urging him to issue directions for the deployment of paramilitary forces in the state ahead of the body civic polls.
Elections to eight municipal corporations, 109 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in the state will be held on February 14.
The delegation comprised Union minister Som Parkash and senior party leader Madan Mohan Mittal.
They apprised the governor of a “series of attacks” on the BJP leaders, including party's state unit chief Ashwani Sharma and former cabinet minister Tikshan Sood.
“There have been almost two dozen incidents of violence against the BJP workers in which police took no action and rather encouraged the anti-social elements to spread terror,” the delegation alleged, according to astatement.
They said the BJP candidates for the forthcoming municipal elections are being “intimidated and brutally assaulted” all over the state.
“Police officials in Ferozepur, Mansa and Rajpura were openly encouraging these criminal elements to terrorise and harm the BJP candidates,” the BJP leaders alleged.
Earlier, BJP candidates were threatened against filing nominations and now they are not being allowed to campaign for the upcoming municipal polls, they said.
"It is a far too serious situation which demonstrates complete collapse of democratic norms and a play of criminal forces in society", said BJP general secretary Subhash Sharma.
The delegation demanded that the state election commission must ensure that the model code of conduct was followed and the erring officials were punished.
Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma's vehicle on Tuesday was allegedly attacked by some unidentified persons with sticks and rods in Ferozepur. Sharma had gone there for a meeting with local party workers.