New Delhi: In a bid to end the logjam and the passage of crucial GST bill and other key bills that is pending in Parliament, PM Narendra Modi met with top Congress leaders at his residence.
Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh were invited by PM Modi at his Race Course Road residence yesterday over tea around 7 PM.
The meeting assumes significance as the government and the Congress are at loggerheads over the passage of crucial legislations and Congress blocking the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu were also present at the meeting. “Former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh & Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi meet PM. Top ministers are present at the meet,” the PMO said in a tweet.
The meeting lasted about 45 minutes.
Jaitley had said yesterday that Modi is willing to speak to everyone to get the landmark indirect tax law through. Jaitley, who needs Parliament approval for GST Bill in the winter session to roll out the new indirect tax regime as planned from April 1, had said he has spoken to “almost all Congress leaders” on the issue.
“We have absolutely no hesitation even at the level of the Prime Minister. We have never had in it in the past, we don't have it (now). He is willing to speak to everyone,” he had said.
Congress had stalled passage of the GST Constitution Amendment Bill in the last session of Parliament over its demand that a revenue-neutral rate not higher than 18 per cent be mentioned in it.
It is also opposed to states being given powers to levy additional 1 per cent tax on supply of goods over and above GST rate.
