'GST implemented only to help rich...': Rahul Gandhi in Karnataka

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to poll-bound Karnataka interacted with sugarcane farmers in Belagavi's Ramdurg.

Addressing the gathering, Rahul said "the BJP government only focuses on 2-3 billionaires, while it should be on farmers, labourers and small vendors. Billionaires, who has the government backing get get loans from banks easily and it gets waived off easily but farmers' loans are never waived off".

Stepping up his attack on the BJP, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the GST was implemented only to help the rich in the country as half of the people don't even understand when and how they have to file it.

"GST has been implemented only to help the rich in the country - five different taxes. It's a very complicated tax structure. Half of the people can't even understand when and how they have to file it," Rahul Gandhi was quoted saying by ANI.

"The big businesses have accountants, while the small businesses don't. So, small businesses shut down. When our Govt comes to Delhi, we will change this GST. There will be one tax and minimum tax2," the Congress leader said.

The Congress leaders expressed confidence that the party would win 150 seats in Karnataka out of the total 224 in the May 10 Assembly polls. The "40 per cent BJP government" will be reduced to just 40 seats.

Rahul Gandhi was referring to complaints from contractors that the BJP government in the state sought had allegedly sought 40 per cent commission from them for government contracts.