Lucknow, March 5 (IANS): Workers and supporters of the BJP and the AAP fought a pitched battle here Wednesday after a spat following the latter's protests outside the BJP's office against the detention of its party chief Arvind Kejriwal in Gujarat turned violent, police said.

Raising slogans like "Modi, Arvind se darta hai, police ko aage karta hai (Modi is afraid of Arvind Kejriwal, puts police in front) and "Modi kuch to sharm karo (Modi, have some shame)", the AAP workers gathered outside the Bharatiya Janata Party office opposite the state legislature on Vidhan Sabha Marg.

Soon BJP workers came out and asked the protestors not to block the entry to the party office as visitors were finding it difficult to go in and out but the AAP workers refused to budge.

Soon the two sides came to blows. BJP workers chased away the handful of AAP supporters and some were even attacked with canes and sticks.

Police from the nearby Hazratganj police station reached the spot and dispersed the unruly mob.

Traffic on the busy road was held up for a while due to the melee.

No report has been lodged from both sides but police has scaled up security outside the BJP office.

Earlier in the day, similar scenes were witnessed outside the BJP's national office in New Delhi.