GST hopes brighten as TMC, BSP, NCP, others come on board

Key opposition parties including the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have said they would support the bill. TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay said, the GST bill is in the interest of the country and his party has decided to support it. BSP chief Mayawati said her party is in favour of bill as the government has assured that its passage will strengthen the country’s economy. NCP leader Praful Patel said that his party is in full support of the bill and it should be passed in this session of Parliament only. He said the government should take any constructive amendments in its stride.

The government is awaiting the Congress’ response, as it wants to take it along by addressing its concerns on the bill which is likely to be taken up in Rajya Sabha next week. “We are making efforts for its passage. The public mood is almost one-sided in favour of the GST,” said Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu. He said he, along with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, has already talked to Congress leaders in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha - Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mallikarjun Kharge - after the all-party meeting on Wednesday and discussed the GST with them as well as the issues raised by them. The Congress leaders wanted to discuss the issue with the party leadership and sought time before it gets back to the government in a day or two, after which government will seek to address the concerns. “Substantial issues have already been discussed,” he said. 

Naidu claimed that of the total 32 parties represented at the all-party meet, 30 were in favour of the legislation and wanted its early passage.The government is also keen that Congress is onboard in the passage of the Constitution amendment bill as it is primarily a Congress bill. “We want to take Congress along. That is our motive,” he said, adding that Congress did not oppose the bill in Lok Sabha but did so in Rajya Sabha due to political reasons.

The Congress has expressed its reservation regarding the bill but on Thursday, it signaled willingness to compromise as long as the government takes into account its concerns.