Mamata Banerjee has brought out the Trinamool's election manifesto in five languages. (File Photo)
For the first time ever, Mamata Banerjee has brought out the Trinamool's election manifesto in five languages - Bengali, English, Hindi, Urdu and Olchiki which is the Santhali language - and claimed much more had been done than promised in 2011, including a bill to reacquire the land at Singur which is, however, now in court.
"We have kept our word and brought a bill to acquire land at Singur. The matter is in court and now sub judice. But I am confident we will be able to return land to unwilling farmers. That's our commitment. Let there be a factory on 600 acres. 400 acres have to be returned to farmers," Ms Banerjee said.
Singur was the site of the Nano car factory which Ms Banerjee had opposed till Tata Motors abandoned the project in 2008. Ms Banerjee had opposed forcible acquisition of farm land for the factory by the Left Front government of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
There is no mention of Singur in the manifesto's eight-page segment on industry which claims several successes. "We have lots of plans for agriculture and industry and the new generation. We want to make Bengal number one in the world," she said.
Opposition parties, however, said the people of Singur were not going to be fooled by Ms Banerjee's statements on industry or Singur. "She has said lots of industry, lots of jobs have been created," said Md Salim, CPM lawmaker. "But where are the numbers? These are empty claims," he added.
Among the achievements listed in the manifesto was the completion of 30 "multi super specialty hospitals" out of 41 promised. "By March-end, the balance will also be ready," Ms Banerjee said.
The manifesto also has a poem listing several programmes like Khadya Sathi, which is the distribution of rice at Rs 2 per kg, Sabuj Sathi under which students got bicycles, Kanyashree, a scholarship for girl students, health interventions like free treatment for all.
There is also a strong focus on communal harmony. "Trinamool has united Ram and Rahim," says the poem on achievements.
The English version of the manifesto is 142 pages long. On the cover, a smiling photo of Ms Banerjee and the legend "People will have their say, its Mamata all the way!"