GST: Opposition's boycott call aimed at future political positioning ahead of upcoming state, Lok Sabha polls
Congress, Trinamool, RJD, Left, DMK and others are convinced that launch function is clearly designed as “a propaganda event”, meant to garner maximum brownie points for PM Modi.
NEW DELHI: Congress and some opposition parties’ decision to boycott the GST event in Central Hall is aimed at future political positioning in the intensifying turf war between the ruling BJP and Opposition ahead of the upcoming state elections and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
JDU breaking ranks on presidential polls and NCP, JDS, SP and BSP deciding to attend the joint sitting demonstrate fault-lines within the Opposition camp. “The core of Opposition unity still remains as Congress, Trinamool, RJD, DMK, CPM, CPI, etc are still holding together,” argued a senior MP.
Congress, Trinamool, RJD, Left, DMK and others are convinced that launch function is clearly designed as “a propaganda event”, meant to garner maximum brownie points for PM Modi. “The major Opposition parties have fulfilled their legislative responsibility by cooperating, unlike what BJP did when it was in Opposition, with the government in passing the Constitution Amendment Bill. With that the job job of Parliament is over as far as GST is concerned. If the Modi government wants to turn the Central Hall function into a propaganda event, why expect us to be there as cheer leaders,” said a senior Opposition leader.
The Congress leadership maintains that midnight sitting is a “violation of Parliament’s tradition” and is also linking it to the legacy of Independence. At a joint press meet on Thursday, top Congress leaders had argued that midnight sittings were held only on three historic occasions — PM Nehru’s address on Independence and two more sittings on the 25th and 50th anniversaries of Indian independence. This reason lobbed by Congress was promptly lapped up some more Opposition parties.
As the build-up for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls begin, these parties are keen to nurture their new found unity beginning with the presidential polls, which is aimed at propping up an anti-BJP alliance for 2019. In fact, at a joint Opposition meeting earlier this month these parties had decided to cooperate closely in Parliament too.
By arguing that the government should have held a “two-month trial period before its implementation” and by criticising multiple tax slabs, these parties are tactically reserving political space to tap should the actual implementation leads to major administrative hiccups.
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