Modi reaches out to Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi; discusses GST Bill

New Delhi: Faced with a strong opposition in the Rajya Sabha where the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance lacks majority, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday struck a conciliatory note and met his predecessor Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi to discuss the crucial Goods and Services Tax Bill. The meeting over tea at Modi's official residence 7 Race Course Road in New Delhi began at 7 PM and lasted for over an hour.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who was present at the meeting along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, said that both sides put forward their positions on GST and there is the possibility of more meetings in the future. Jaitley added that the leaders also discussed the smooth functioning of Parliament in the Winter Session during the meeting.

The government will now discuss the demands made by Congress which in turn will have its own internal discussions on what the government has said. There will be regular meetings between Naidu and Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Ghulam Nabi Azad in both houses throughout the Winter Session of Parliament.

Modi's meeting with Manmohan and Sonia is significant as the government and the Congress are at loggerheads over the passage of crucial legislations and Congress blocking the GST Bill in the Rajya Sabha.

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, 2016 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% be mentioned in it.

It is also opposed to states being given powers to levy additional 1% tax on supply of goods over and above GST rate.