Senior police officials in Ahmedabad and Bhopal say the two governments approve of the idea in principle. The development is significant seen in light of the fact that the two states are run by different parties and have different opinions on several issues, especially that of the Narmada Dam.

Gujarat Director-General of Police C P Singh says modalities are yet to be finalised.

More positive is A N Singh, Additional Director General (Intelligence), Madhya Pradesh: The matter is almost in its final stage and there's no scope of falling through, he says. ``We have proposals to loan about 500 policemen, but will require as many in return when our state goes to the polls'', he told Express Newsline from Bhopal. He said he hoped the Gujarat government would act ``generously''.

The arrangement will be need-based. Gujarat will not receive any assistance from Rajasthan or Maharashtra this time, unlike the last elections, because all three states go to the polls on the same day (September 5). MP will vote on the subsequent three polling dates, hence the plan's feasibility.

Both states suffer from a manpower problem in the border areas. Both Vadodara (rural) and Dahod districts have approximately 800 policemen to man the 1,000-odd booths each in Chhotaudepur constituency and Dahod. R P Bisone, Additional superintendent of Madhya Pradesh's Jhabua district, says he has the same problem: about 800 men and 860 booths, of which 200-odd are sensitive.

Interestingly, the two border constituencies -- Chhotaudepur and Dahod -- are Congress bastions, while Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh is the seat of BJP tribal leader Dilipsinh Bhuria.