Jagran Bureau, New Delhi | Team Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is now ready to put its strategic preparations for election-bound states - Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat - into action. The day after announcing the national office bearers, the saffron party appointed in-charges and co-in-charges for three states. National general secretary Vinod Tawde has been given the most challenging responsibility among these appointments. Maharashtra’s Tawde, who played an important role in the BJP’s historic victory in Bihar, has now been entrusted with the responsibility of securing the party’s third consecutive victory in Uttar Pradesh.
At the same time, to wrest power from the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, which has complex electoral equations, the party has expressed confidence in Rajasthan's Jat leader Satish Poonia, while to remove the hurdles in the path of the BJP's victory chariot in Gujarat, the national leadership has entrusted MP Tarun Chugh as in-charge there.
Vinod Tawde Gets Challenging Job In Uttar Pradesh
In Uttar Pradesh, which has 403 assembly seats, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's image as a strict administrator is a strength for the party, while the strategic challenge based on the caste arithmetic of the Samajwadi Party (SP) cannot be taken lightly. The alliance between SP and Congress is also almost certain again; in such a situation, polarisation of minority votes also increases the challenge on many seats.
Furthermore, stories of internal feud between some senior leaders within the organisation continue to emerge. In light of these circumstances, the party has appointed Tawde as in-charge. He is known for his humble nature and his ability to bring everyone along.
Tawde, who began his political career as an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad worker, has demonstrated how he coordinates with allies by playing a key role in the return of the JD(U) to the NDA in Bihar as in-charge in 2022, and then by breaking the caste equations of the RJD-Congress and other parties' alliance in 2025, preparing the ground for a strong BJP-NDA role.
It is said that he has been active in Uttar Pradesh for several months. Now, he will officially be responsible for formulating a strategy that, like in Bihar, will counter the anti-incumbency wave, recover the party from the setback suffered in the Lok Sabha elections, and pave the way for a third consecutive victory. The BJP has appointed national secretary Jagdish Ishwarbhai Patel, who has been active in grassroots organisational work in Gujarat, as his co-in-charge.
Second Challenge For BJP In Punjab
Another challenging state is Punjab. Elections are also due there next year. The party's path to power in this state is not easy. The BJP, which has long been supported by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), faces a primary challenge from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, which won a record 92 out of 117 seats in the last assembly elections. Consequently, the party has entrusted its responsibility here to Poonia.
Poonia, a Jat leader and former Rajasthan state president, has previously demonstrated his organisational skills as in-charge of neighbouring Haryana, where he faced anti-incumbency and played a key role in paving the way for a hat-trick of victories for the BJP amid the rising heat of the farmers' protest.
Tarun Chugh Gets Responsibility Of Home To PM Modi, Shah
Similarly, the Gujarat election is linked to the party's credibility, as it is the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP has been in power there for decades.
Compared to many other states, the Congress organisation here is in relatively good shape. Therefore, challenges are natural. He will be expected to ensure a smooth victory path in the BJP's stronghold.