Expressing his hope that Congress will cooperate in ensuring the functioning of Parliament, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has said that he is confident and optimistic that bills pertaining to formation of a realty regulator and the much-awaited indirect taxation reform Goods and Service Tax (GST) will be passed in the upcoming Budget session. He further said that he himself and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has spoken to the congress leaders and added that the time has come for us to come together as lot of time is being wasted on it.
Further, commenting on the Congress's current stance of stalling Parliament and then putting forth certain changes in the bill it wants he said they're raising certain issues which they did not raise when they brought the Bill in 2008. Naidu said passing the Real Estate Regulation and Development Bill is essential because in the absence of a watchdog, people can be fleeced by fly-by-night operators in the sector.
Earlier, in January, Naidu has said that the Modi government has agreed to accept the demands raised by the opposition congress Party, to pass GST Bill. Further he said that the government is ready to start the upcoming Parliament session earlier than scheduled to pass the bill in the Rajya Sabha if the Congress is willing to support it.