Bhubaneswar, July 17 -- Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Suresh Panigrahi on Thursday said that the Odisha bandh is no longer limited to eight political parties but has turned into a people's bandh across the state.

Workers of CPI(M), CPI(ML) Liberation, and other opposition parties staged protests in Bhubaneswar over the death of a student from Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, who died by self-immolation.

Speaking to ANI, Suresh Panigrahi said, "...Eight political parties have appealed to the people of Odisha and other left democratic forces, transport, teacher associations and the response is very good...The bandh is not confined to eight political parties; it has become a people's bandh of Odisha...The BJP is claiming that ...