NEW DELHI: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said neither does he have any aspirations nor the RSS any designs to project him as a prime ministerial candidate. Amid speculations that he could be the BJP's prime ministerial candidate in case of a fractured mandate in the upcoming general elections, Gadkari said he was not in the race and stressed that "tireless work" was his mantra.


"I have not done any calculation, never set targets -- neither in politics nor in work. Mai to chala jidhar chale rasta (I follow the path wherever it leads). Jo kaam dikha karta gaya (Accomplished whatever is assigned to me). Believe in doing the best for the country," Gadkari told PTI in an interview.

"I do not see dreams, neither I go to anyone nor I do any lobbying. I am not in this race... I my telling you from my heart," the minister said.

Gadkari said that the BJP will get an absolute majority in the upcoming elections under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Given what work we have done, I feel we will get more seats than the last time under Modiji," he said and termed the 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) of Opposition parties for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as 'Mahamilawat' (high adulteration).

Earlier this month, Gadkari said he was not in the race for the prime minister's post and as a pure RSS man for him the nation comes first.

Asked if he would become the Prime Minister if the BJP gets only about 200 seats in the elections, he had said "thinking about Prime Minister's post is like 'mungeri lal ke haseen sapne' (day dreaming)." "And we are going to get clear majority in 2019 elections as well."