The BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit on Saturday demanded de-recognition and withdrawal of symbol of the parties, which have announced that they will boycott the upcoming urban local bodies (ULB) and panchayat polls in the state.

ULB elections are scheduled to take place in four phases beginning October 8 and the panchayat polls will be held in November-December in nine phases. Four parties - National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Bahujan Samaj Party - have announced that they will be boycotting the polls. "The BJP urges state chief electoral officer to de-recognise those political parties which have announced (their decision to) boycott ULB and panchayat polls," the party's state spokesperson Anil Gupta said.