BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the CD was not part of the official campaign material and conveyed this view the same to the Election Commission.

"We have no regrets or any embarrassment over the release of the CD as it was not a part of the official campaign material," Naqvi told reporters after submitting the party's reply to the Election Commission on a notice issued to it in the matter.

Following demand from political parties for derecognising the BJP, the Commission had issued a show cause notice to the BJP on Thursday and directed it to file a reply on Friday.

Naqvi said he told the Commission that the party had already sacked its Uttar Pradesh spokesman Manoj Mishra for releasing the CD without consulting senior leaders.

"We have already taken action in the matter," he said.

Asked what action was taken against senior party leader Lalji Tandon, who had released the controversial CD, Naqvi said, "The party has done what it had to do and no more action will be taken against any leader."

Naqvi said the demands for derecognition of the BJP was a part of a misinformation campaign carried out by the "secular brigade" comprising the Samajwadi Party, Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party.

He said a similar campaign was carried out against it in the aftermath of the post-Godhra riots but "the people of Gujarat had given a fitting reply to the secular brigade by re-electing the BJP to power in the state."

"Our detractors are worried over our increasing influence in Uttar Pradesh and are trying out every method to undermine us," Naqvi said adding he was confident that the people of the state would back the party.

FIRs have been registered against party leaders Rajnath Singh, Lalji Tandon and others on direction of the EC over complaints that the CD was designed to stir communal passions.

Citing the model code of conduct, the Commission said it has been brought to its notice that leaders and workers of the BJP released, displayed and distributed the CD containing "inflammatory campaign material derogatory to the sentiments of certain community".