The meeting of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday triggered the possibility of a resolution, on the deadlock in Parliament over the pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill. This meet gathers significance, with the upcoming winter session of Parliament beginning next week from November 26.
According to reports Jaitley visited Gandhi’s residence in the Capital to invite him for his daughter’s wedding next month. Meanwhile the meeting just few days before the Parliament session starts, sparked speculation that the two discussed the GST Bill. A top functionary in the Congress had recently said, “If Jaitley ji or anyone else from the Government is willing to speak to us and discuss the issue of the GST Bill, then we are more than willing. But our stand regarding the Land Bill is non-negotiable, although on GST we are ready to have a discussion with them.”
However, on Wednesday, both the BJP and Congress insisted that during the meeting between the two leaders there was no discussion on GST Bill. Sources in the BJP indicated that the party will be receptive to “open channels” and is willing “to hear any suggestion on GST.” Rahul Gandhi, has maintained that the government on the issue of passage of bills, should communicate with the leaders of the Congress party in the two houses of Parliament - Mallikarjuna Khadge in the Lok Sabha and Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Rajya Sabha. An all-party meeting is likely to be held on Tuesday - November 25.
Jaitley had earlier this month said the implementation of GST was only “a question of time” as obstruction to the reform measure would not stand parliamentary vote.
The BJP leader also said he was open to meeting Congress leaders to resolve a parliamentary deadlock over the biggest reform measure in over two decades.
“Am I willing to discuss with the Congress party? I have repeatedly said I am,” he clarified. “I have so far been discussing it with their leaders and I can’t find at least conceptual opposition to it. I will once again speak to them and try to make them see reason,”Jaitley had said.