West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee answers questions on Anna Hazare, her prime ministerial ambitions, the 'third front' and her vision for 2014.
Here are the highlights of the special interview:
Please don't consider me a candidate, I am a common citizen
People will decide who will be the PM, trust the voters
I am not media savvy but Facebook savvy
Country suffering because of a lack of leadership
People will decide who will be the PM, trust the voters
How can we expect good things if feudal landlords will run the country
For one year, Atal ji was a good PM. Can't compare prime ministers
Have to set up policies which are economy-friendly, industry-friendly, GDP-friendly
I never use VIP lounges in airports so that common people can talk to me
I don't like going to Delhi
70,000 crore taken away from our treasury because of debt left by previous government
Industries investing, expanding in West Bengal
We are Number One in India because we are working hard
We're investing Rs 2 lakh crores in West Bengal
Article 370 a very sensitive issue, won't talk on that right now
Respect Anna Hazare, don't know Arvind Kejriwal so won't comment on that
Anna Hazare has not asked me to tie up with anyone
I respect Anna Hazare because he knows what to say
West Bengal's industrial growth is double the Centre's GDP
Naxals are different from Maoists
We have declared tribals as Below Poverty Line families, we give them employment
Why don't you get Mayawati, Jayalalithaa to come together? I have no quarrel with them
I am not a feminist. I am a human being & I want to take brothers and sisters together
We are supporting the women's reservation bill. In our list, 30% candidates are women
We have to help the minorities
I have a gender but it doesn't mean I am separate from the mainstream
Women are powerful. Without women, how will you even get food
I have written 45 books
Newspapers are not god, they distort facts
Vajpayee was keen to see my mother. Don't mix up political issues
I maintain personal relationship with so many leaders but politically they hate me
There is no medicine for jealousy
UPA government never listens to us. They sometimes said, 'you are alone'
We are always for the downtrodden people
Proud to say we fought for Singur
Singur wasn't anti-industry; you can't bulldoze the people
Have set up land policy. Industrialists purchasing land and we are giving permission
Why should I reply to what happened to Ratan Tata? I will not reply to an individual
You can't compare Gujarat with other states, they have their own problems
West Bengal has 2 ports, Gujarat has 17
In small-scale industry and micro-finance, West Bengal is Number 1
Want to set up 'talent bank' of youth to prevent brain drain
Youths should be dedicated to the country and the country must be dedicated to them
Request youth to come up for politics
If youths don't, some old vagabonds and people like us will run the country
I can't disclose all my plans right now, what will you ask me after the elections
We support Lokpal and Lokayukta for sure
Our plus point is credentials, minus point is money
If good people come, I can give my party symbol but I can't give money
Transparency is our commitment
Yes, I welcome dissent in our own party
People can always disagree with me, I will learn from them
Dinesh Trivedi is a party issue, can't discuss it here
Dinesh Trivedi has been given a ticket, he is contesting elections
Don't know why they were unable to control communal riots in UP and Assam
We have started 45 fast track courts and 26 women police stations
Brothers are helping the sisters, all brothers are not bad