BJP rejects KCR's stand on GST impact on TS Govt

The Bharatiya Janata Party has rejected the statements of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on GST levies and its impact on State Government Projects.

"As a member of GST Council, his government has supported GST Bill and its tax brackets both at several GST Council meetings. His party and government has passed and ratified the GST Bill both at state legislature and supported it in both the Houses of Parliament. It beats anyone’s imagination, as to how he can blame Central Government for GST tax rates, when all decisions on GST are collectively taken with voting rights to every State in the country. Telangana State Finance Minister Etela Rajender is a permanent representative and member at the GST Council," Bjp Spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao said in a statement on Sunday.

Describing KCR's decision to go to court as "empty threat", the Bjp leader said it only highlights TRS Government’s lack of fundamental knowledge on the issue, with which he is trying to attack the Central Government.

"The threat of going to court is quite juvenile. How can CM KCR sue himself and his own government? His government is a party to all the decisions GST Council has taken; his state representative is a signatory to all resolutions at the GST council inclusive of the Tax rates fixation. CM KCR has to understand that his government cannot sue the Central Government in this issue. He simply lacks grounds on which he can go to court," he said.

The Bjp leader also wondered as to why CM KCR was being an advocate for EPC contractors. Business enterprises know how to protect their interests in the wake of new indirect tax regime. It is not the job of a chief minister to take up lobbying for lowering their taxes or increasing their profit margins, he said.

"Bjp doesn’t believe that there’s any loss to the state exchequer with GST implementation in reference to ongoing projects. All the numbers being projected as loss to the state are purely fictitious calculations. GST Council has already lowered GST rates from 18% to 12% and addressed this issue which several states raised in the first GST council meeting after GST was enacted. Bjp believes, the clamour over this issue by CM KCR and TRS Government is pointless and it also raises suspicion on their special interests," Krishna Saagar Rao said.