The Left Front today 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.
"There have been lapses and lessons have been learnt from such lapses," the manifesto said. "Bureaucratic attitude, corruption, nepotism, bad behaviour with people are some of these and the Left Front remains committed to fight against these," 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."