Attributing the defeat of the BJP, specially in Sikh-dominated constituencies, to the non-fulfillment of promises made to them, Delhi Pradesh SAD president Avtar Singh Hit said the ruling party lost the support of the Sikhs as the Akali Dal withdrew from the fray after its nominees were not accommodated.

``They (the BJP) did not fulfill the promises made to the Sikh community and rejected our demand for tickets for the constituencies from where we wanted to contest,'' Hit said.

While issues like giving official status to the Punjabi language or relaxing the helmet law for Sikh women remained unfulfilled, the BJP did not pay heed to the Akali Dal's recommendations to give Sikhs representation in several committees set up by the Delhi government, he alleged.

Stating that their decision to contest future elections on their own will in no way affect the party's alliance at the Centre, Hit said: ``My party has an alliance with the BJP at the national-level. This cannot be be interpreted as a merger''.

Hit also demanded reduction of voting age for the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) from 21 to 18 years before the next elections that are due in June next.