Congress CMs question exclusion of party nominees, many allied states, in GST GoM

Congress chief ministers on Tuesday came out in public against the decision to exclude party nominees in the group of ministers constituted to consider GST tax waver and other related issues in view of the pandemic. On the exclusion of the principal opposition party, whose numbers in GST Council is second only to BJP’s, they said the move “strikes at the very roots of cooperative federalism”.

“The Union Government has set up a GoM following the GST council meeting of May 28. A deliberate attempt has been made to keep the principal opposition party, the Congress, that has three members in the GST Council out of the GoM,” said Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

“It is unfortunate not to include any members of Congress-ruled states and is against the spirit of cooperative federalism,” said Chattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel.


While Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma, an NDA ally, was made convenor of the GoM, its ministers included finance or other ministers from UP, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Kerala, Telangana and Goa.

Gehlot also pointed out “from states of West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu who had taken a stand contrary to that of the proposed agenda, none has been included in the GoM”. He urged the nominated members “to reflect on the exclusion of Congress finance ministers”.