Indore, April 5
Realising that the ever-increasing resentment over value added tax (VAT) could have a disastrous impact on the electoral prospects of the party in the coming Assembly elections in four states, the BJP today clarified that it was wrong to suggest that the Central Government or the BJP had forced this legislation on state governments.
“The BJP wishes to make it crystal clear that VAT is not a partisan issue. The very concept of VAT was initiated during the Congress regime and a majority of state governments belonging to all political parties have accepted it voluntarily,” a resolution on VAT adopted during the concluding day of BJP’s National Executive meeting here said.
The resolution emphasised on the need for all state governments to enter into a dialogue with the business community to remove misunderstanding and also make amendments in legislation, if any.
Taking serious note of the agitation by the business community, the resolution said VAT was a state legislation, replacing sales tax, which was primarily a state subject.
Asserting that the BJP was also aware of the misunderstanding in the minds of the business community all over the country about implementation of VAT, the resolution said the BJP government in Gujarat had already entered into a dialogue with the business community.
The National Executive called upon all other state governments to enter into a dialogue with the business community so as to remove misunderstanding and also make amendments in legislation, if any.
The business community has been one of the major votebanks of the BJP and the adoption of a separate resolution on VAT at the National Executive amply reflects the party’s grave concern over the possibility of the Opposition parties, especially the Congress, trying to cash on the resentment on the issue against the BJP in the Assembly poll in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Delhi.
