To Scuttle GST Bill in Rajya Sabha, Congress May Target Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

The Congress is working on multiple strategies to scuttle the Goods and Services Tax bill, which is to be discussed in Rajya Sabha, or the upper house of Parliament this week. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha last week.

Sources said the party is hoping that the proceedings will be disrupted over the national auditor's report alleging financial irregularities by the Purti Group, in which Union minister Nitin Gadkari owns stakes. The proceedings in Rajya Sabha had been washed out on Friday following disruption over the report -- with the united opposition demanding Mr Gadkari's removal.

As a constitutional amendment bill, GST needs the support of two-thirds of the House and the government will need the support of opposition parties. As of now, it has the support of several opposition parties which hold power in the states, including the  Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party and the Biju Janata Dal. The Bahujan Samaj Party, too, supports the bill.   

With only the AIADMK opposing the bill and three more days to go before the House adjourns, the easier option for the Congress to play spoiler over the audit report, indicated sources.

The final decision is to be taken tomorrow on whether the Congress will insist on a select committee, stage a walkout or preserve opposition unity by raising the Gadkari issue.

The Congress, which has a majority in the Rajya Sabha, has said it favours the GST bill, but wants a parliamentary committee to scrutinize the amendments made by the BJP. In the Lok Sabha, where NDA has the numbers, the Congress walked out during voting on the bill.

The bill is pegged as a flagship reforms initiative of the Modi government. It paves the way for a pan-India tax regime and a unified market across the country, ending the multiplicity of central and state taxes.