Left Front focus on big industries in manifesto

The Left Front will lay greater emphasis in setting up “big industries” in Bengal and provide good governance to the people if elected to power. The Left Front on Sunday published its election manifesto for the Assembly election, a fortnight before the first phase of polling. The 16-page long manifesto, which hinted at the possibility of a coalition government, promised to restore the democracy and rule of law in the state and give people the freedom to express their opinion. The Left Front also promised to put an end to the “political interference” in the administrative works and remove the “corruption” which crippled it in last five years.

“Our primary aim is to restore democracy in the state and allow people to exercise their democratic rights. For that we have to defeat both the Trinamul Congress and the BJP by uniting all the democratic and secular forces. The unity of the people can only form a democratic secular government,” said Left Front chairman Biman Bose after publishing the manifesto. Earlier, the party had published a draft manifesto in the social media seeking opinions of people. After including the suggestions received in social media, the party published the final manifesto.

The manifesto also mentioned about the rise of communal forces in Bengal with the help of the ruling Trinamul Congress. The party has called upon its workers to defeat the Trinamul Congress in order to weaken the “communal forces like the BJP and RSS” as it had helped the BJP to make its presence felt in the state.

The manifesto also noted that no industry was set up in last five years. However, it was also mentioned in the manifesto that land acquisition for industry would be dealt carefully. “Efforts will be made to set up big industries. Emphasis will be laid on brining heavy industries such as steel, automobile, petrochemical, cement, leather and textiles. Land acquisition for industries will be dealt carefully. Elaborate discussions will take place between the government and the residents of the area where the land will be acquired,” the manifesto read.

On the state administration issue, the party promises to provide a government which will be responsible and sensitive towards the people. “There will be end to the political interference in the administrative works. The corruption, which has crippled it in the last five years, will be removed. The law and order situation will be restored and government funds will be used in the rightful manner,” the manifesto read.

The Left Front further assured to allocate 20 per cent of the budget to the education sector and put an end to the privatisation of it. The manifesto also stated that steps would be taken against the ponzi-scheme based companies and ensures strong action against directors of such company which duped common people.

The manifesto also alleged that the economic policy of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre had been benefiting corporate and affecting the poor and middle-class.