TMC’s support to GST ‘proof of its nexus’ with BJP: Congress, CPI(M)

Kolkata: Opposition CPI(M)-Congress alliance on Tuesday termed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s support to the Center’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) as “proof of nexus” between ruling TMC and BJP.

“CM responds to BJP’s gratitude! Reiterates her commitment of issue based support to Modi govt! Broad based unity against TMC-BJP nexus is the answer,” CPI(M) secretary Surya Kanta Mishra tweeted.

Referring to a recent remark by Union minister Uma Bharati in which she had said regional satraps like Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar had emerged on the political firmament with BJP and RSS support, he said, “It’s now Uma Bharti. RSS has helped the CM to win. The Sangh is behind the victory of the TMC!!! The cat is out of the bag again!!” Earlier in the day, Banerjee had told a gathering of business and industry chambers at a felicitation programme here about TMC’s support to the GST bill, proposed by BJP-led central government.

“We are fighting for GST as it will help industry with single point tax instead of multiple layers of taxation. Our Finance Minister Amit Mitra is leading the committee on GST and I think in the next one or two meetings it will be resolved,” she said. “I am politically opposed to BJP government but we support programmes which are pro-people and industry,” Banerjee had said elaborating her government’s stand on GST.

Reacting on the development, senior state Congress leader Om Prakash Mishra said, “We all know that TMC and BJP have a tacit understanding, both inside and outside Parliament.”