Kolkata: The Left Front on Wednesday tried to
strike a cautious balance between industrialisation and
agriculture in its manifesto for the Assembly elections in
West Bengal while admitting lapses on the part of some leaders
and cadres.
"The need for agriculture will remain forever, but
industry is the call of tomorrow," Front chairman Biman Bose
told newspersons here while releasing its manifesto at the
CPI-M headquarters here.
The Front slogan of `Agriculture, industry, peace,
democracy and development` in the manifesto seemed to keep in
mind the Front`s poor show against Opposition Trinamool
Congress over land issues in recent elections, while holding
on to its policy of industrialisation.
While enumerating the CPI(M)-led Front government`s
successes in different development works, the manifesto
admitted lapses in initiatives among party workers.
"Speed, ability, honesty, transparency and sensitivity
are needed in implementation of different programmes in
several stages from the Cabinet, administration to Left
organisations and their workers," it said.
Charting out the Front`s main three goals, Bose said
the Front would endeavour for improvement of the quality of
life and creating job opportunities for people living below
poverty line.
"We intend to lift the state into the front ranks in
the country on purchasing capacity, education and health and
providing work to 40 lakh most poor families in West Bengal in
agriculture, industry and other services," the manifesto said.
Taking on the Opposition Trinamool Congress, the
manifesto said, "It gave the BJP a footing in the state and
the journey will be completed with the Trinamool`s tie-up with
the Maoists."
Taking a dig at the Trinamool Congress ally Congress,
it said, "The Congress has given up its self-respect and is
looking up to it."
The manifesto also mentioned allegation of corruption
at the Centre and issues of black money being stashed in
foreign banks.
The manifesto, which Bose read out in the presence of
several Front leaders including Forward Bloc`s Ashok Ghosh,
RSP`s Manoj Bhattacharya and CPI`s Manju Kumar Majumdar, also
alleged American influence on the central government`s
policies and decisions.
PTI
