Rail and road traffic were disrupted and normal life was hit in several districts of Bihar during the second day of the all-India bandh called by various trade unions on Wednesday.

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The bandh evoked a mixed response in the state where Opposition parties, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular and the Samajwadi Party supported the call by the central trade unions over minimum wages, social security schemes and other demands.

Left parties also supported the bandh and party members were seen on the roads from morning. CPI (ML-L) workers halted Intercity Express in Jehanabad resulting in disruption of the Patna-Gaya route for some hours.In several districts such as Bhojpur, Darbhanga, Gaya and Siwan, bandh supporters blocked national highways and staged protest marches and demonstrations. The protestors also burnt effigies of ruling party leaders and raised slogans against "anti-labour policies" of the government.

Left leaders alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers attacked protestors in Darbhanga when they were blocking National-Highway 57. Several of them were arrested and released when the protests were over.

"Apart from implementing minimum wages of Rs 18,000, we also demand equal pay for equal work, reinstatement of old pension policy, checking inflation and debt relief to farmers," said ML leaders participating in the bandh.

Public transport in state capital Patna was affected as hundreds of auto-rickshaws and buses remained off roads in support of the bandh, said Raj Kumar Jha, a local functionary of All India Road Transport Workers Federation. A number of schools and colleges were also closed in Patna and some other districts due to the bandh.