Don't want to contest elections: Kumar Sanu

Famed Bollywood singer Kumar Sanu, who recently joined BJP, Saturday said he was not inclined to contest elections and would rather work towards eliminating illiteracy from West Bengal.

On his maiden visit to the state after joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, Sanu also praised fellow singer and party MP Babul Supriyo who is now union minister of state for urban development.

"I do not want to contest elections but I am ready to help out the party in every possible way. I want to do my bit in charity in Bengal and help build schools to eliminate poverty, illiteracy and unemployment," Sanu told media persons here.

Sanu who has a school for orphans in Canning of South 24 Parganas district, said he had plans to provide rations to them in a bid to attract higher turnout in the school.

The voice behind numerous hits also expressed his dissatisfaction at not being given recognition by successive state governments despite his roots in Bengal.

"Be it the earlier (Left Front) government or the present regime, no one has called me once despite I being a son of Bengal," said Sanu.

However, he subsequently said he was grateful towards Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had conferred on him the "Mahanayak Uttam Kumar Samman" award in July.