Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 17 : On the day when the Trinamool Congress (TMC) released its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that there cannot be any "mission" without a "vision" which her party has shared with people on Wednesday.
"There can be no mission without a vision. Today, we are proud to share that vision with the people,' the Chief Minister said in a post on 'X'.
Banerjee said that her party's manifesto drafted after "extensive consultations" caters to the need of every section of the society.
"Based on extensive consultations, our Manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections caters to the needs of every section of society and prioritises people's welfare over everything," the Chief Minister said.
"From healthcare, education, and social security to agriculture, industry, employment and women empowerment, our manifesto sets out the roadmap to take every sector forward, uplift every community and create holistic development," she added.
Promising to implement what she has promised in her party's manifesto, Banerjee said, "I take a solemn shopoth (oath) to rededicate ourselves to the needs of Maa, Mati, Manush."
The Trinamool Congress (TMC), which is contesting solo in West Bengal after failing to reach a seat-sharing agreement with its INDIA bloc partners in the state, released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Kolkata on Wednesday.
The TMC which is in staunch opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), whose Rules were recently notified by the central government, promised to do away with the controversial legislation once it comes to power at the Centre along with the INDIA bloc.
Among the big-ticket promises, the TMC announced 10 gas cylinders free of cost every year to Below Poverty Line families and free 5 kg ration to very ration card holder.
"Every BPL family will get 10 gas cylinders free of cost every year. This will also ensure environmental friendly cooking. Every ration card holder will get 5 kg ration free of cost. It will be provided to every ration-holder's doorstep free of cost," Amit Mitra announced.
Promising 100-days employment and houses for all poor families, Mitra said, "All job card holders will be guaranteed 100-days work and all labourers throughout the country will get minimum Rs 400 daily wage. Every poor family will get guaranteed cemented and disaster-resilient houses."
The TMC also promised legal guarantee of Minimum Support Prices to all farmers as per Swaminathan Commission's recommendations. The MSP will be set at a minimum of 50 per cent higher than the average cost of production of all crops, the party said.
Though the TMC is part of the INDIA bloc, it does not have a seat-sharing arrangement with the other parties in the alliance, like Congress and the Left parties in the state.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC won 34 seats in the state, while the BJP had to settle for just 2 seats. The CPI (M) won 2 seats, while the Congress bagged 4.
However, the BJP came up with a much-improved showing in the 2019 polls, winning 18 seats against the TMC's 22. The Congress's tally dropped to just 2 seats, while the Left scored a blank.