Where does each party stand on the GST bill?

GST was not our idea, it was a Congress idea
Where does each party stand on the GST bill?
Where does each party stand on the GST bill?
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As the winter session of Parliament started on Thursday, the government will hope to have the opposition on its side so that the Goods and Services Tax Bill gets passed before the deadline of April 2016.

On Wednesday, the Finance Minister told NDTV, "GST was not our idea, it was a Congress idea but it's a good idea, I hope the Congress sticks to the good it proposed rather than flaw it" and expressed confidence about getting the bill passed saying that most parties were supporting it.

Congress: The Indian Express reports that the party won’t oppose the bill if three out of the initial 18 modifications are agreed to, by the ruling coalition.

Rahul Gandhi, the party vice president said, “Do we want the GST? Are we ready to compromise on GST? Are we ready to talk on GST? Absolutely.  So we are not trying to stall Parliament. We want the GST that suits the country and benefits the country and we are ready to have that conversation without a problem."

JDU: Party leader Sharad Yadav has announced full support for the bill as proposed by the BJP after victory in the Bihar assembly elections.

AIADMK: The party, which is an issue-based ally of the BJP-led coalition at the centre, has rejected the bill outright. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa is understood to have said that safeguarding the interests of the state was paramount.

The Samajwadi Party which heads the government in Uttar Pradesh is also likely support the bill, although the trade wing of the party has opposed some specifications in the bill.

CPI (M): The party is firmly opposed to the bill, as it feels it is against the federal structure of the country. It wants further discussion, as the states will lose all their legislative power with regard to taxation if it’s implemented.

BSP: The UP-based party will support the bill as Mayawati said, "Our party has always been of the stand that it would support the ruling dispensation at the Centre for all the bills that are in the interest of the nation".

TMC: The party has indicated its support for the GST. “On logical grounds we are in support of GST because this is going to be beneficial for the state, we will stand up for it in the House,” said West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra.

BJD: The ruling party in Odisha is keen to pass the bill if the centre agrees to some modifications along the lines similar to that proposed by the Congress. 

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