NEW DELHI: The BJP on Tuesday appointed state in-charges for poll-bound Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, which will vote early next year.In Uttar Pradesh, where the saffron party will seek a third consecutive term, BJP national president Nitin Nabin appointed national general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Vinod Tawde as the state in-charge, with national secretary Jagdish Ishwarbhai Patel serving as his co-incharge.In Punjab, where the ruling AAP and the opposition Congress are the main contenders, BJP national general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Satish Poonia has been appointed the sole in-charge.The appointments came a day after the BJP unveiled a new team of national office-bearers to assist party president Nitin Nabin. The party named 13 vice-presidents, including nine new faces; eight general secretaries, six of them first-time appointees; and 16 secretaries, 15 of whom are new.

Among the prominent leaders who retained their positions are former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje as vice-president, Sunil Bansal and Vinod Tawde as general secretaries, Anil Baluni as head of the media department, and Sambit Patra as the north-east coordinator.