India, May 16 -- After winning in two electorally tough states -- West Bengal and Bihar -- the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is preparing for important assembly polls next year.

Assembly elections are scheduled in Punjab, where the BJP is still a fledgling party and Uttar Pradesh (UP), where it will be seeking a third consecutive term under chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

In all, seven states will go to the polls next year: Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Gujarat. Of these, the BJP rules five states, while Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) govern one each.

First, UP, the most populous state, sends key national leaders to the Lok Sabha; the current UP LS members list includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi, defence min...