TIL Desk/Business/New Delhi-Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has convinced her brother and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to allow the Goods and Services Tax bill be passed in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill has already been passed in the Lok Sabha. Priyanka, who is the party’s last hope in the UP polls believes that it should not be seen as obstructing the passage of the cruical GST Bill. She met senior Congress leaders, but did not concur with the view of 18 per cent cap on the bill.
The 122nd Constitution Amendment Bill, passed in the Lok Sabha in May, is stuck for want of political consensus in the Rajya Sabha where the ruling BJP does not have a majority. The Congress, which had for years advocated the need for a country-wide indirect tax system, has insisted that the GST rate be capped at 18% in the legislation itself. Even Finance minister Arun Jaitley had said he agrees to the Congress demand that the proposed Goods and Services Tax rate should not go beyond 18 %.
Once passed, the GST law will replace the myriad local levies and usher in Indias biggest tax reforms. Priyanka would rather go with the UPA bill and has differed from former finance minister P Chidambaram arguments on the bill, according to a highly-placed a Congress leader. In all probability by end of July, the GST will be passed in the Rajya Sabha.
