New Delhi: Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu has advised political parties not to politicise GST, saying the country was boundd to benefit hugely from the tax initiative in the long run. 

"The long-term effects of the GST will be highly beneficial for the country's economy but it may have initial, short-term negative effects on, inflation and the GDP," Naidu said in Dehradun.

Requesting people not to panic about the effects of GST, he asked them to be prepared for it. "Except for tax evaders, no one needs to panic about GST. I want to ask people to suffer its initial effects along with us for long-term gains and benefits," he said. 

The concept of a unified tax regime in the form of GST came into being during AtalBihari Vajpayee's government and it was being brought into force after consistent hard work of 16 long years, he said. 

Advising political parties not to politicise the issue, he said they should comment on it only after careful thinking.