Following Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s announcement that virtually all states except Tamil Nadu has extended support to the Goods and Services Tax (GST), BJP leader Subramanian Swamy appreciated Jayalalithaa’s arguments against GST.

Subramanian Swamy tweeted on Wednesday, “I find much merit in JJ's arguments against GST. It echoes Namo's letter as CM to UPA Govt. These arguments must be addressed by FM.”

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had told Prime Minister on Tuesday that the Centre should strive for a broad consensus on important issues like the compensation period and exclusion of commodities before enacting the Constitution amendment.

She said that she was concerned about the impact the proposed GST will have on the fiscal economy of the states and the huge revenue loss it is likely to cause to manufacturing and net exporting state like hers.

AIADMK has 13 members in the Rajya Sabha and the party has 37 Members of Parliament in the lower house. NDA alliance is in a minority in the Rajya Sabha and will require support from parties like AIADMK and TMC for passing the GST bill, if the Congress does not support the bill.

Arun Jaitley told the reporters on Tuesday, “Virtually all the States have supported the idea of GST today barring Tamil Nadu, which has expressed some reservations… Tamil Nadu has offered a few suggestions, which have been noted by the committee,” according to The Hindu.

(With inputs from PTI)