Never Nourished a Dream to Become PM: Nitish Kumar

Patna: Amid speculations over Nitish Kumar becoming a prime ministerial candidate by a non-BJP front in the next general elections, the Bihar Chief Minister on Monday said he only desired to become an MP and did not nourish a dream to become a PM.

"I had only desired to become an MP at least once in life ... I had never nourished a dream to become a minister, chief minister or prime minister," the Chief Minister said at a function to launch a biography of 'Super-30' founder Anand Kumar.

"Some people are trying to defame me so that I do not ever desire to become a PM ... but they are doing it uselessly as I do not harbour the ambition to become a PM," Kumar said in an apparent dig at BJP leaders who have been making "adverse" comments on him.

While RJD President Lalu Prasad, his NCP counterpart Sharad Pawar and former Jharkhand CM Babulal Marandi have hailed Kumar for having potential to become PM, rival BJP and NDA leaders have been making "adverse comments" on the issue.

Lauding works of Anand Kumar who is providing opportunity to students of deprived sections of the society to qualify in IITs, the Chief Minister recounted his early days of struggle in politics when he had to face defeat initially in two consecutive Assembly elections.

"I did not loose patience and continued to work hard," he said while inspiring younger ones to have determination to do good in life. The Chief Minister showered praise on Anand Kumar and said "today he has become an identity of a resurgent Bihar."

The Chief Minister said he drew an idea to launch bicycle yojna in Bihar, which has worked in drastically cutting down the percentage of out of school children from 12.5 per cent in 2005 to 0.85 per cent now, during a function to distribute bicycle to SC/ST girls in Patna.

"I saw excitement among girls while getting the bicycle at Nritya Kala Mandir in Patna and immediately called officials to work out how much cost would it entail if the scheme is extended for all girls," he said revealing the idea of launching bicycle yojna in 2006.