By Sanjeev Srivastava BBC western India correspondent

As campaigning reaches a climax for Thursday's assembly elections in India's western state of Gujarat, it is now clear that the electorate is polarised between those who love Narendra Modi - the Bharatiya Janata Party chief minister - and those who hate him.

The only person who can match his popularity is Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi.

The bearded Modi, clad in kurta pyjama (traditional Indian dress), has become a kind of mascot in these elections.

He draws big crowds in his election meetings. But it is not just the size of the crowds which demonstrates his rather fast rise to popularity in Gujarat.

Rabble rousing

The crowd response to his speeches - invariably laced with a dig or two at Pakistan, "Muslim fundamentalism", terrorism and the Italian origin of the Congress leader, Sonia Gandhi - is passionate.

Electronic voting machines will be used

Modi is so popular at the rallies that there have been occasions when the central leaders of the party, including Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, have been forced to shorten their speeches and make way for the Gujarat chief minister.

This kind of response is all the more surprising given that Mr Modi has only been the public face of the BJP in the state since last year when he became the chief minister.

Before that he was better known for his organisational skills and was seen more as a back-office manager of the party.

But all that has changed in the last few months.

Godhra

In a way, Mr Modi's popularity among right-wing Hindus has grown in the aftermath of the unprecedented religious violence earlier this year in which nearly 1,000 people - mostly Muslims - were killed in Gujarat.

Rallies are a family affair

This support came despite the widespread criticism that the Narendra Modi government received for its handling of the law and order situation in the state.

Many independent observers even alleged his government connived with members of Hindu right-wing parties during the riots.

The riots were sparked off by the torching of a train in the town of Godhra in which about 60 Hindus were burnt alive.

"He [Mr Modi] has become some kind of a local hero or even a role model for the Hindu youth and his rabble rousing speeches evoke a big response across the state," says Kingshuk Nag, resident editor of The Times of India in Ahmedabad.

Subtle differences

In a strange paradox - perhaps the kind which can only be thrown up in the hurly burly of the Indian political cauldron - there is just one person who seems to match Mr Modi's appeal across the state.

She is Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born leader of the Congress party who is invariably the target of Mr Modi and other state BJP leaders in their campaign speeches.

Mrs Gandhi has addressed nine meetings during the last four days and has drawn the biggest crowds seen in the Gujarat election campaign so far.

Gandhi is emerging as a more confident leader

She talks about development, the need to maintain religious tolerance and peace and prosperity for the people of Gujarat.

Mrs Gandhi's speechmaking skills have considerably improved and she now speaks quite fluently, sometimes even without referring to the written text she still always carries with her.

Analysts say if ever there were any doubts about Mrs Gandhi's rise as a national political leader, the Gujarat elections should lay them to rest.

Gone are the days of a stumbling leader who looked visibly uncomfortable with her role as the chief of India's oldest political party, the Indian National Congress.

Sonia Gandhi now appears much more mature, self-assured and confident.

She gives the impression of not only knowing the issues confronting the electorate but also looks like a leader in command of - if not the situation - at least of her party.