The manifesto, released at a press meet at Banerjee’s Kalighat residence, included her other pet planks like opposing disinvestment in banking and insurance sector and her opposition to shopping malls.

The document also says the Trinamool would root for a non-BJP, non-Third Front government at the Centre.

“Why should there not be development in Bengal. We are 32 years late in development. We want to make the sea town of Digha at par with Goa and North Bengal with Switzerland. We want a Kolkata on par with London. Why not? By development, we do not mean bloodbath and guns, but pro-people industries. Land should not be acquired forcefully,” said Banerjee.

“When we come to power, we will show how development and industrialisation are done in Bengal. There is ample scope of boosting industries in jute textile, engineering and steel in Bengal apart from utilisation of our natural resources,” she said.

The manifesto, besides talking of development of Kolkata and Haldia ports, also speaks about revival of closed and sick industries in Bengal.

To maintain a safe distance from the BJP, the manifesto stresses on “secular ideals”. It also says that 50 per cent of the revenue earned by the Centre should be given to the states.

The Trinamool also wants the Central investments in infrastructure development in the state to be hiked. There should be no disinvestment of public sector enterprises, which the manifesto says should be strengthened, a line echoed ironically by the Left’s manifesto.

Among other demands in the list of 47 is abolition of VAT and a simplified uniform tax system. “Interest rates should be hiked for small savings. We are against VAT. There are 32 different taxes, 32 cess and 14 types of duties that a business has to pay. Protection should be given to small and medium traders,” she said.

She also demanded that Urdu be made the second language in areas where the Muslim population is over 10 per cent, apart from implementation of the Sachar committee report in Bengal and protection of minorities. “We demand priority in jobs for minorities, women and economically-backward people. If the need arises, we will also demand reservation for them,” she added.

In her manifesto, Banerjee demanded that the state police should be paid at par with their Central counterparts and that state government employees should be paid on the basis of the 6th Pay Commission as in the Centre. She also spoke about protection to small and medium farmers and increase in irrigation facilities.