HYDERABAD: Setting aside their ideological differences, Opposition parties — Congress, BJP and TDP, for the second consecutive day on Monday, continued to display a rare unanimity in hurling brickbats at Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for his sudden bellicose stance at the Centre over the GST issue.
Mocking Rao’s sudden somersault on GST, BJP state unit chief K Laxman on Monday asked the CM to explain why he had suddenly begun opposing the GST. “KCR was the first CM to back the GST, soon after Centre’s announcement. TS Assembly was one of the first few Legislatures to ratify the GST Act. Further, GST rates were fixed only after due consultations with each state. Despite knowing this, KCR is blaming the Centre only to target the BJP in the state,” he remarked.
Terming CM’s sudden change of stance on GST as a drama, TPCC spokesperson Dasoju Sravan alleged that KCR was trying to create an impression among people that he was fighting against the Centre. “He has tacit understanding with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. If KCR’s present statement is really true, then he should answer why his government unilaterally passed a resolution favouring GST bill in the state Assembly?” he questioned.
The Congress leader further recalled that KCR had not spoken against GST till the Presidential and Vice-Presidential polls were held. “After supporting the NDA nominees in both the polls, the CM has now started portraying himself as an opponent of GST. He even announced that he would wage a legal battle against the Centre. This is all part of CM’s political strategy to hoodwink people,” Sravan criticised.
The TPCC spokesperson wanted to know if the TRS was really opposing the GST, then why had IT minister KT Rama Rao, who attended the GST Council meet held in Delhi on Saturday, not walked out of the meeting. “Why was Finance minister not present at the GST review meeting held by KCR on Sunday? Why was KTR allowed to attend the GST meeting in Delhi, instead of Rajender? KCR in his attempt to promote KTR in Delhi circles, is reducing Finance minister’s status to a puppet,” Sravan attacked.
Joining chorus with BJP and Congress, TDP TS unit working president A Revanth Reddy termed CM’s sudden change of stance on GST as a ‘drama’.
“A sword of Damocles in the form of scams taken place during the period UPA-1 government in which KCR was Labour minister is hanging over the neck of the CM. Already, CBI has been probing a case with regard to evasion of `7,000 crore PF to its employees by Sahara Group. Hence, CM KCR has already surrendered himself to PM Modi in order to come out of the scam unscathed. All the sudden rants by the CM over GST are just for public consumption,” Revanth alleged.