Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said that the BJP’s victory in the local body polls in Uttar Pradesh was ample proof of the fact that people supported the new tax regime ‘Goods & Services Tax’ (GST) as it eased the trade/commercial process.

Addressing newsmen in New Delhi yesterday, Jaitley referred to the huge victories that the BJP got in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Assembly polls.  “The massive victories by the BJP were viewed as the result of people’s support to the demonetization process as well as the introduction of the uniform tax regime GST,” he said.

“People of Uttar Pradesh have again proved it by voting en masse for the BJP at the just-concluded local body polls where the BJP has swept the polls by winning 14 out of the 16 Corporations. GST has eased the process of trading and commerce and increased the profit of traders and merchants. People across the country in general and merchants/traders in particular are happy with GST,” he added.

Jaitley’s comments are seen as a counter-measure to thwart opposition Congress Party’s attempt to project GST and demonetization as the two major blunders committed by the BJP-ruled Centre in the run up to the Gujarat Assembly polls which are to be held on 09th and 14th December in two phases.