The nationwide shutdown called by the Left parties over demonetisation of high value currency notes on Monday evoked missed response in different states.

While Left parties exempted banks from the 12-hour strike call, the shutdown crippled life in Left-ruled Tripura and Kerala. However, it evoked partial or lukewarm response in Delhi, Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and other places.

In Kerala and Tripura, government and semi-government, private offices, banks, educational institutions, shops and business establishments remained closed due to the strike. All types of vehicles, except security forces, remained off the roads.

Train services between Tripura and rest of the country were affected as the Left party workers blocked several trains in different locations in the state.

However, flights in-between Agartala, Guwahati, Kolkata and New Delhi were on service as usual.

In Bihar too, several trains were halted as the Left parties and their supporters and workers stopped over a dozen long route trains at Patna, Gaya, Jehanabad, Bhagalpur and Muzaffarpur railway stations.

“Several trains were halted to enforce shutdown,” a police officer said. Roads were also blocked at various places across the state.

However, ruling parties of the grand alliance in Bihar — the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress — have decided not to join the shutdown, but to stage protest march against demonetisation.

The Janata Dal-United of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also decided to keep away from both the shutdown and protest against domenetisation.

In fact, Nitish Kumar has repeatedly publicly supported demonetisation that prompted BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday and Lok Janshakti Party chief and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan to thank him.

Meanwhile, in West Bengal, life was normal as markets and shops remained opened. Train and flight movement was normal and vehicles plied on the roads.

In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed in some areas. Opposition activists staged a protest at many places since early morning, but the services of state-owned Road Transport Corporation remained unaffected in both the states.

Meanwhile, the main opposition, the YSR Congress and the Congress party in these states clarified that they have not called for ‘Bharat Bandh’ but were only participating in protests against the people’s sufferings due to demonetisation of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes by the Union government since November 8 midnight.

(With inputs from agencies)