Why Cong thinks launch boycott was sound strategy

NEW DELHI: Congress’s boycott of the midnight Parliament session cannot be seen as divorced from its peeve over BJP’s opposition that denied UPA authorship of the GST. The decision to stay away also appears linked to the party’s belief that cooperating with PM Modi only brought it some condescension.
However, the main opposition weighed the consequences before concluding that its decision to stay away was worth the risk of being perceived as opposed to the tax.
For the grand old party that prides itself as the author of economic reforms, its hostility can deprive it of joint authorship of GST — reason why former PM Manmohan Singh stopped Rajya Sabha colleagues from moving amendments to GST bills.
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Congress seems to also have risked its ratings with the middle classes who shifted to the Modi camp and seem to be sticking by him. The party argues there’s little political risk. It believes GST, even at its best, with 45% of tax revenue base outside its ambit, will not radically alter the basic situation to generate a groundswell in its favour. The new tax carries higher chances of being a painful experience. State units have been unanimously negative. Mumbai unit chief Sanjay Nirupam’s June 20 tweet — “I advise Amitabh Bachchan to withdraw from being brand ambassador of GST in this form. Expected backlash from traders may go against him” — nudged others to come out in the open. Rajasthan party chief Sachin Pilot has held dharnas with traders; Haryana party netas told the leadership about “pitfalls” of backing the measure. Ditto Kerala.
Surprised by the thumbs down, Congress decided it should downplay its role. It pushed the argument that the version of GST that BJP launched was not the “one country, one tax” the UPA had conceived.
Congress’s decision seems to rest on the hope of GST’s failure. But this didn’t come true on demonetization. It rises from the party’s elusive search for the antidote to Modi.
It feels GST will finally yield evidence that Modi’s “bold moves” were more for effect. It also rues that though its stand against ‘notebandi’ was vindicated by disruption in business, jobs and agriculture, Modi managed to sway public opinion with “pro-poor” rhetoric.
Congress is optimistic that “the farm crisis deepening” and “economy slowing”, has shrunk elbow room for the government.