The Airports Authority of India removed hoardings with pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and the lotus symbol at Patna airport on Thursday morning after a complaint by the Grand Alliance to the Election Commission on Wednesday.

The hoardings and posters were put up on the airport premises even though the Airports Authority of India's (AAI's) own guidelines prohibit any political advertisements on the airports managed by them. The delegation also complained that poster and hoardings space at Patna Junction has been monopolised by the NDA, which is also a violation of the guidelines.

In reply, the BJP hit out at the Grand Alliance, stating that the opposition was acting out of "frustration" and claimed Modi continues to reign in people's hearts. "Modi has become a symbol of development for people. These leaders may succeed in getting his posters removed but he remains to rule the heart of people. The verdict of people will make it clear. It will be for a stable and corruption-free government as promised by the Prime Minister," BJP secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

Thirty hoardings/posters/banners and unipoles of the BJP had been put up in and around the terminal building at Patna airport by M/s US Advertising Agency Pvt. Ltd, a Delhi-based firm. Senior election commission (EC) officials claimed that AAI should not have permitted political advertisements on its premises. "Based on a complaint received regarding political advertisements on the airport premises, the district magistrate-cum-returning officer in Patna sought a report from the AAI. The AAI replied on Thursday that political advertisements are never permitted on the airport premise and they have removed all such advertisements in the morning," additional chief electoral officer R. Laxmanan said.

"The Patna district magistrate (DM) had sought an explanation from the AAI when political advertisements were put up on the airport premises. The reply from the AAI in this matter would also be sent to the civil aviation ministry for taking necessary action," said Laxmanan.

Airport apart, the BJP has also put up 1,858 hoardings/banners/unipoles at railway stations across the state, including 347 at Patna Junction and 216 at Rajendra Nagar Terminal.

EC officials however, claimed that no violation of norms has been identified in the political advertisements at the railway stations. "We had also sought a reply from East Central Railway regarding the political advertisements at the stations and they have stated that there is no prohibition on such advertisements as such. They have stated that equitable opportunity was ensured for all political parties to hire the advertisements spaces," said Laxmanan.