1.   A Sikh regional party and Hindu nationalists won the state legislative elections held last December and formed a coalition government.

2.   After years of tension, normalcy has returned to Punjab with an alliance as a Sikh religious party and Hindu nationalists formed a government in the state in December.

3.   An alliance with a Sikh party helped Vajpayee win elections earlier this year, but he did not win enough seats to govern without partners.

4.   Singh challenged them when his Congress Party was swept to power in the elections, which were boycotted by all the Sikh political parties.

5.   The Shiromani Akali Dal, a Sikh religious party that once supported independence for Punjab, has allied with the ultranationalist Hindu party, the Bharatiya Janata Party.

6.   The Sikh party shares a government with the BJP in the state of Punjab.

7.   A boycott by Sikh parties drastically hit the voter turnout.

8.   Beant Singh, a Sikh and a veteran Congress leader, was among the few politicians in favor of the elections that were boycotted by Sikh political parties.

9.   But it was dealt severe blows by a Sikh party in the northern state of Punjab.

10.   The polls are expected to be won by a coalition of a Sikh party and Hindu nationalists.