Top ministers meet, government hopeful of Congress support on GST Bill

New Delhi: Top Union Ministers on Tuesday held deliberation over the government's strategy ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament beginning on Thursday with the Centre expressing hope that Congress will help passage of key reform bills, including GST.

Ministers of Home, Finance, External Affairs, Defence and Parliamentary Affairs, Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Manohar Parrikar and M Venkaiah Naidu respectively, met to give final touches to their strategy.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who also attended the meeting, said the government's agenda is to run the two Houses smoothly and get the bills passed by reaching out to the opposition.

He told PTI that senior ministers like Singh, Jaitley and Naidu among others had spoken to leaders of various opposition parties, seeking their cooperation.

"We are hopeful to get Congress support for the passage of important reform bill which are in the national interest," he said.

A total of 38 Bills, including some finance bills, are awaiting parliamentary approval. The crucial GST bill is also pending in Parliament which the government hopes to pass in the upcoming session.

The government has called an all-party meeting tomorrow at 11 am. BJP parliamentary party executive and NDA constituents will meet later at the Prime Minister's residence followed by an all-party meeting called by the Speaker.