Congress not in mood for GST talks yet

Even as Union finance minister Arun Jaitley is willing to talk to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for the passage of the Goods and Services Tax Bill, the current mood in the main Opposition is not in favour of it.

Besides, the Congress wants to remain with the rest of the Opposition parties instead of being proactive on the government’s economic programme. But if government managers succeed in bringing the AIADMK, BJD, JD(U), Left, SP, BSP and DMK on board on the GST Bill, then the Congress may rework its strategy. “There is no confusion on whether we should play a constructive Opposition or fiery Opposition... the lines have already been drawn because of the government’s confrontationist attitude,” insiders said. “The BJP had blocked the bill for over five years when in Opposition and now their ministers are preaching to us about its importance,” Congress leaders pointed out.

The Congress on Wednesday struck a discordant note, insisting that parliamentary democracy “cannot be reduced” to just one bill and asking PM Narendra Modi to first shed his “confrontationist” mindset.

Congress deputy leader in the RS and senior party spokesperson Anand Sharma signalled that the Winter Session of Parliament, likely to begin by this month-end, would be a smooth affair only if the PM made a “real effort” to seek constructive engagement with the Opposition.

“Parliamentary democracy cannot be reduced to just one bill. The Prime Minister and his government have both arrogance and confrontationist mindsets,” he said on being asked about Mr Jaitley’s statement. “They should make a real effort to shed this confrontationist mindset by seeking constructive engagement with the Opposition,” Mr Sharma said.

Mr Sharma’s refrain was that a conducive atmosphere cannot be created by constant government attacks on the Opposition.

“Berating, ridiculing and intimidating them (the Opposition) on a daily basis cannot help in creating that atmosphere. It is their call,” Mr Sharma said, adding that success and failure of a Parliament session is the responsibility of the Prime Minister and his government.

Mr Sharma was asked about Mr Jaitley’s remarks that he would discuss the GST Bill issue with the Congress again to ensure its passage in the Rajya Sabha. “I am willing to discuss with the Congress party... I have so far discussed 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,” he said.

Mr Jaitley has said that introduction of GST, which will replace more than a dozen state levies, is only “a question of time” as obstruction to the reform measure will not stand a parliamentary vote. GST is to be implemented from April 1, 2016. But a Constitution amendment bill could not go through the Rajya Sabha in the last session of Parliament due to Congress opposition. The April 1 deadline may be missed if Parliament does not pass the bill in the Winter Session.