Oppn unity over GST boycott cracks with NCP, SP, JD(U) deciding to attend

Traders' bandh call partially successful, as CAIT decides not to join

The Congress efforts to forge Opposition unity on the issue of boycott of the midnight special session to mark the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) failed when several of the smaller parties expressed their intent to attend the event. Sources said the turnaround happened after the government reached out to these parties.

But protests and shutdowns across the country, including in the national capital, were evidence of growing concerns among traders and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Traders downed shutters in several parts of the country and also blocked road and train traffic at some places.

Among the political