Sonia Gandhi to meet Opposition CMs over NEET, JEE, GST issues

Congress President Sonia Gandhi is meeting seven opposition chief ministers on Wednesday afternoon to discuss issues such as NEET/JEE examinations and GST, signalling the first outreach for a joint strategy after a stormy meeting of the Congress Working Committee.

Besides the four chief ministers of Congress-ruled states, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray are expected to attend the meeting which would be held through video conferencing.

Invitations were also sent out to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal but were declined citing preoccupation.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have taken up the demand for postponement of the NEET/JEE exams which are scheduled for September. A large number of students have been demanding postponement of the exams citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

Another issue on the table would be the payment of GST compensation to state governments, which the Centre has been delaying citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

Banerjee had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice asking for the NEET-JEE exams to be deferred.

The government has so far resisted growing calls for postponing JEE and NEET scheduled next month, saying the exams will be held with full precautions against the virus.

Opposition chief ministers are expected to jointly demand 14% GST compensation from the Modi government.

Opposition-ruled states have accused the centre of a sovereign default in not agreeing to pay the GST compensation.