I do not want to be PM: Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi, Congress member of Parliament from Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh, today said he had no goal to become the Prime Minister of the country as his only aim was to serve the nation.

"I do not buy that," Gandhi told reporters when asked if he would see himself as the future Prime Minister of the country.

"Becoming the Prime Minister is not the goal of my life," Gandhi, who wrapped up his tour of the north-eastern region, said adding his intention was to serve the country.

Defending his decision of not becoming a minister in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Gandhi, a first time MP, said he did not believe that a person having only six-month experience in politics could become a minister.

"You can do things without any role," he said, adding at present he was working for the party.

About the North-east, he said the attitude of the people was "positive", which he appreciated and admired.

Congress president and his mother Sonia Gandhi had decided not to become the Prime Minister the very first day she joined politics in 1998 and not after getting elected as the leader of the parliamentary party following the Lok Sabha elections this year, Gandhi said.

"It is not a fact that my mother refused to become the Prime Minister at the last moment. The decision was taken on the very first day when she joined politics in 1998," Gandhi said.

"To become the Prime Minister was not her intention ever. The decision was taken by my mother, sister and myself on the very first day in 1998," the Congress MP said.

Asked what would be his message to the youth of North-east, Gandhi said, "it would be very arrogant on my part to give some message to the youth of the region, who are intelligent and understanding."

Gandhi said he had come to understand and know the region by interacting with people and seeing the development projects.

Asked to comment on the allegation that the region was not getting enough fund from the Centre, Gandhi evaded a direct reply saying that was up to the policymakers to decide.

To a question about his role in the region, he said there was no "formalised" one but he was there as a person and a politician "fond of the north-east".

Gandhi said the "looking east" policy sounded interesting to him but did not agree with the perception that the idea was mooted by the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

"I do not care wherefrom it comes. I am not sure if it was the NDA's (idea). It was (in existence) before that," Gandhi said.

To the nature of his visit, which kept the media out of bounds in all places, he termed it a "private" visit and said "more drama you create, less information you get from the visit".