Chandigarh, Aug. 18 -- Ahead of the high-stakes Punjab assembly elections early next year, the BJP's new national team announced on Monday has brought three Punjab-linked leaders into strategically significant roles, with former state finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal elevated as national vice-president, Rajya Sabha member from Punjab Sandeep Pathak appointed as national secretary and Tarun Chugh retained as in-charge of the party's central office. The appointments, announced by party president Nitin Nabin, assume significance as the BJP seeks to expand its footprint in the state and emerge as a serious independent contender across all 117 constituencies. Manpreet's elevation gives the BJP a prominent Jat Sikh face from the politically influential Badal family at the national level. A former finance minister and long-time political figure, he joined the BJP in 2023, hours after quitting the Congress. BJP leaders feel his presence in the national team could help the party strengthen its connect with sections of the Jat Sikh electorate, and provide it with a leader who brings political experience and familiarity with Punjab's complex social and electoral landscape. Going solo in the 2027 assembly elections with an expanded organisational and electoral strategy, the party has repeatedly signalled its intention to build an independent political base in Punjab, especially among Jat Sikhs. In June, the saffron fold had installed Kewal Singh Dhillon as its first-ever Jat Sikh Punjab president.Pathak's elevation is also significant for Punjab, given his previous role in building the Aam Aadmi Party's organisation in the state. In AAP, Pathak served as national general secretary (organisation) and was a key figure in expanding the party in Punjab. He had also served as the party's Punjab affairs in-charge. His elevation from Delhi to the BJP's national team is being keenly watched in Punjab amid reports that he could be entrusted with an important organisational role in the run-up to the assembly elections. Chugh's appointment is equally significant, as he had served as a national general secretary in former BJP president JP Nadda's team and has been closely associated with the party's organisational work....