Real opposition to GST is from within BJP: Congress

Amid reports that the Centre has expedited back channel negotiations to push the GST bill, Congress on Wednesday claimed the real opposition to it was from within BJP while the "main opposition" party is being made an "excuse" by the government.

"The real opposition to the GST is from within BJP. Congress is just an excuse. Narendra Modi does not want it. Amit Shah does not want it. Piyush Goyal does not want it. Gujarat government does not want it", party leader and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said at the AICC briefing.

Ramesh insisted that the "maximum opposition" to the key reform measure was from within BJP and Congress is being given as a "conveninent excuse" for its non-passage.

Noting that Congress wanted a "good and simple" GST, he recalled that party Vice President Rahul Gandhi has said that the party was for GST.

Ramesh said that the party has given three suggestions in writing on the bill.

"It is all a game being played by the Finance Minister and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister to fool people when they (some in BJP) themselves do not want the GST", he said.

Ramesh's remarks came amid reports that the government has speeded up its back channel consultations with the Opposition parties to push the long-pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill in the budget session of Parliament.

Reports had it that the NDA managers have already spoken to parties like AIADMK, Trinamool Congress and Biju Janata Dal apart from holding the highly-publicised meeting with Congress.