Security tight ahead of Gujarat poll

Preparations are underway for Thursday's state elections

Up to 90,000 security personnel have been deployed in the western Indian state of Gujarat a day ahead of sensitive elections.

We are confident that the elections will be held peacefully, without any problems

KR Kaushik, Ahmedabad police commissioner

Official campaigning came to an end on Tuesday with two major rallies held by the incumbent BJP and opposition Congress parties.

About 35,000 central force personnel and 50,000 state personnel will patrol sensitive areas and polling booths in a bid to prevent any recurrence of the inter-religious violence seen earlier this year.

Ahmedebad's police commissioner, KR Kaushik, told the BBC World Today programme that "We are confident that the elections will be held peacefully, without any problems."

Police have also made a large number of preventative arrests.

Mr Kaushik said that 4,500 people had been arrested in Ahmedebad, the commercial capital of Gujarat, in the past 15 days.

Polarised

State police chief K Chavravarty told Reuters: "The situation is normal. The entire police force has been deployed at key installations and polling booths."

It's important to bring back normalcy to the state

Vivek Manchanda, India

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An attack on a train in Godhra, Gujarat in February, in which 58 Hindus were killed led to months of communal violence - mostly directed against Muslims.

Our correspondent, Adam Mynott, says that the right-wing Hindu nationalist views of the incumbent chief minister, Narendra Modi have capitalised on that violence in which more than 1,000 people were killed.

Mr Modi has told the huge crowds at his rallies that only he can offer protection against Muslim extremists.

The effect of this has been to further polarise the two communities in Gujarat, according to our correspondent.

It has also meant that many other concerns such as water, poverty and employment have been overlooked.

Both parties have held large rallies

The elections to the 182-seat assembly will take place on Thursday.

Special arrangements have been made by the Election Commission to allow those displaced during the violence to vote.

The vote is seen as crucial for the BJP - the main party in the ruling coalition of India.

They have lost control of a string of state assemblies over recent years and a general election is due by 2004.