GST: Congress keeps government on tenterhooks

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had high tea together, the main Opposition continues to keep the government on tenterhooks over the Goods and Services Tax Bill.

The trouble-shooters in the government and Congress party are unsure of whether the Constitution amendment bill can be passed in the current session of Parliament itself. The government has managed non-NDA parties like the Trinamul Congress, Janata Dal (U), BJD, Samajwadi Party, BSP and NCP, and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti cannot go against the Centre.

The BJP-led NDA has a majority in the Lok Sabha. Besides, allies like the Shiv Sena, Shiromani Akali Dal, TDP, and even the PDP, are not against it. But in the Rajya Sabha a bloc of 89 members have not come on board so far because the Congress (68 members), AIADMK (11) and the Left (10) are not backing the current legislation. Besides, the role of the DMK (4) and of nine one-member parties could be crucial if the government opts for a trial of strength.

Mrs Gandhi, who went with former PM Manmohan Singh to meet Mr Modi on Friday, told the government that the issue has to be discussed within the party forum. This could be in a “core group”, the CWC or the CPP executive.

The Congress has been in favour of the GST even after the BJP’s victory in the Lok Sabha elections, with its leaders and former Union ministers asking how they could oppose their own bill. But floor mismanagement by government managers has inculcated a fighting spirit in the Congress which resulted in the washing out of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

The Congress made Union minister Sushma Swaraj and three BJP chief ministers — Vasundhara Raje, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Dr Raman Singh — targets for attack over “Lalitgate” and the Vyapam, mining and rice scams in the last session. Supporting the GST bill could kill the fighting spirit in the party ahead of Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, insiders feared.

Now, members of Team Rahul in the Congress and in Parliament are asking why they should support this bill when the BJP had blocked the Congress’ GST Bill for five to six years. “If we have won the battle against the land bill, why should we lose the GST battle,” they say.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi works on Parliament strategy, which is backed by Mrs Gandhi as was seen in the last session, insiders claim, suggesting that Mr Gandhi’s line will eventually prevail on the GST issue.