PM asks Jaitley, Naidu to talk to Sonia, Mamata, Maya

New Delhi is witnessing a spurt of political activity over the GST Bill.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu to meet senior leaders of three major political parties -- the Congress, the Trinamool Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party.

BJP leaders say the Goods and Services Tax Bill hinges upon the triumvirate in Parliament -- Congress President Sonia Gandhi, TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and BSP chief Mayawati.

There is the likelihood of Modi appealing for a hassle-free clearance of the GST Bill, which would be followed by a quiet lunch (with senior Opposition leaders) before the winter session commences on November 26.

The Congress is opposed to talks on the GST bill until the government creates a cordial atmosphere.

If it were before the Bihar assembly elections, the government would have directly approached Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi through senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, and explained salient features of the Bill.

Now the government seems to have taken a fresh approach -- to listen to the Opposition's suggestions and counter-arguments in Parliament debates.

In all probability, the GST Bill will be passed in the winter session of Parliament.