In an attempt to resolve the deadlock in Parliament over the pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, the NDA-government reportedly has got in touch with senior leaders from the principal Opposition party – Congress, and is also contemplating making changes in the legislation to get them on board, indicated sources.
On Monday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley held a meeting with ministry officials, as per reports to discuss possible amendments in the GST Bill, so that the Congress would agree on passing it in the current session of Parliament.
The Congress in the Rajya Sabha has blocked the Bill, where the government lacks numbers. The Winter session of Parliament, which begins from November 26, will offer the government a last chance to pass the Bill, if it aims to implement the legislation from April 2016.
Earlier, a meeting last week between senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had fuelled speculations that the two discussed the contentious GST Bill. Even though reports said that Jaitley visited Gandhi’s residence in the Capital to invite him for his daughter’s wedding, the talks regarding GST gained momentum.
The meeting just a few days before the Parliament session, assumed significance as top sources in the Congress had said they were “open to discuss the issue if someone from the government contacted them.”
A senior functionary in the Congress said, “If Jaitley ji or anyone else from the government is willing to speak to us and discuss the GST Bill, then we are more than willing. But our stand regarding the Land Bill is a non-negotiable one, although on GST we are ready to have a discussion with them.”
Meanwhile Rahul Gandhi, has maintained that the government regarding 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.
“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.