New Rajya Sabha rubric leaves NDA with little room for excuses; it must go full steam ahead

The altered equation in the Upper House after the recent Rajya Sabha elections make it imperative for the NDA to deliver on the promise of development and reforms that brought it to office with an overwhelming majority in 2014 and has since been the driving force behind its increasing national footprint. The catchphrase that the ruling NDA took recourse to when criticized over the pace of reforms in its first two years in power is that it has been held hostage by the obstructionist policies of a hostile opposition led by a recalcitrant Congress party. [caption id=“attachment_2137441” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha. PTI[/caption] Much could indeed be laid at the oppositions’ door. The obstructionism of Congress, in particular, was the cynical gambit of a wasted force that is tottering on its last unsure legs, unable to come to terms with the terminal decline. But as the ruling party, it is incumbent upon the Narendra Modi-led government to use all tools at its command and get the single biggest tax reform—the GST Bill—passed. The legislation could give a boost the economy, which is struggling with the effect of back-to-back poor monsoons. Instead of carping incessantly at the disjunction in numbers in the two Houses, the NDA must remember that it isn’t the first government to grapple with such a hurdle. It must show better floor management through a subtler approach towards non-UPA parties, avoid a confrontational attitude, take as many parties with it as possible and try to expose the desperation of Congress which may continue to use House impediment as a matter of policy to derive political relevance. The way the Grand Old Party appeared to be against the self-proposed GST Bill — which seeks to create a simplified tax structure across the country —by giving a note of dissent in the Select Committee spoke volumes about the negative politics it had practiced for the last two years by exploiting its superior numbers in the Rajya Sabha. But those days might be ending. Two important recent developments take away much of Congress’s bargaining chip. If we look at the last Budget session of the Parliament, the Congress had 64 members to BJP’s 49 in the Upper House. Spread across 15 states, 57 seats have since then fallen vacant in which 30 members have been elected unopposed. Among the remaining 27 that went to vote (across 7 states) last Saturday, frenzied manipulations, cross-voting and seemingly daft moves saw the BJP reduce the Rajya Sabha gap with its main adversary from 15 seats to 5, garnering 55 members to Congress’s 61. Overall, in the 245-member House, the NDA now has 74 members (up by 5), UPA 71 (down by 3) while regional players remain unchanged at 89. While it still cannot circumvent the Congress while passing the Constitutional Amendment (122nd) Bill, the increase in BJP’s muscle power will be good news for its strategists ahead of the upcoming monsoon session where the Narendra Modi government is expected to give a renewed push to the GST. Under the altered circumstances, the Congress may find itself increasingly isolated if it decides to stick to its guns and refuses to allow discussion on the Bill which needs a two-third majority. To be sure, no party likes to be seen as the last obdurate force standing in the way of a reform which the country badly needs. Much of the adamant obstructionism Congress displayed in the last two years was built on a platform of opposition unity against the NDA. If the government manages to drive a wedge between the opposition and wean away some support on GST from UPA allies, the Congress won’t have any option but to support the bill. The NDA has obviously been assiduously courting regional players in its quest to pass the GST and create a consensus on politically sensitive land and labour reforms. It seems to have gained a measure of success with a host of regional parties, except Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK, backing the GST. Mamata Banerjee has gone on record with her support. Her party Trinamool Congress has 12 members in the Upper House, with West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra heading the empowered committee of state finance ministers that is due to meet on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss the draft legislation. If the Centre wants to roll out the ambitious tax reform from 1 April, 2017, it must pass the GST in the monsoon session. “Every regional party barring one, which has mixed voices—that is the AIADMK and we can speak to them—supports this bill. SP, BSP, RJD, JD(U), DMK, NCP, CPI (M), TMC… all are making strong noises in support of the bill. When you take a broad head count, I am confident that it will be difficult for Congress to have a contrarian view. All Congress CMs are also on board,” Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said recently , seeking to isolate Congress. Debates about the relevance of an un-elected Upper House impeding law-making, reforms and governance could be had ad infinitum without us reaching a conclusion. We may hold it against the founding fathers of the Indian Constitution for saddling us with a House whose ’erudite’ members serve to gridlock the Parliament more instead of staying true to the lofty ideals of viewing legislation dispassionately and provide critical value addition to law-making. These discussions will lead us nowhere. Instead, the more prudent step for the government will be to make the most of the altered situation through realpolitik and initiate crucial reforms on an urgent basis. It must remember that the demographically young India that voted in its favour in 2014 is extremely impatient and cannot be taken for granted. No amount of excuse-making will cut ice.