New Delhi, August 18: The BJP on Tuesday appointed state in-charges and deputy in-charges for poll-bound Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, which will vote early next year.

In Uttar Pradesh, 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 for Uttar Pradesh, with national secretary Jagdish Ishwarbhai Patel serving as his co-in-charge.

BJP national general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Satish Poonia has been appointed the sole in-charge In Punjab, where the ruling AAP and the opposition Congress are the main contenders.

Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh has been appointed as the party in-charge of Gujarat, the home State of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP has been in power in Gujarat since 1995.

The appointments came a day after the Nabin unveiled his new team of national office-bearers. 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 faces.

Among the prominent leaders who retained their positions are former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Kendrapara Lok Sabha MP Baijyanata Pandaas vice-president, Sunil Bansal and Vinod Tawde as general secretaries, Anil Baluni as head of the media department, and Puri MP Sambit Patra as the north-east coordinator.