BSP in support of GST: Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Supremo Mayawati on Thursday assured her party's support to the ruling dispensation at the Centre on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill.

"Our party has been always of the stand that it would support the ruling dispensation at the Centre for all the bills that are in the interest of the nation," Mayawati told the reporters.

"The government has been saying that the GST Bill is in the interest of the people, will improve the economy of the nation and have been repeating that it would benefit the country. We will, therefore, support the government over GST," she added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had yesterday appealed to the opposition for cooperation as he made a strong pitch for early passage of the GST Bill, saying it will be in the interest of the nation.

Prime Minister Modi, who was speaking at the all party-meet convened by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, told the Opposition leaders that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will hold discussions with them on their concerns.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had earlier said his party strongly believes in the GST but with three amendments, inclusive of 18 percent cap on tax, dispute resolution and removing one percent tax on inter-state sales.