Patna, March 19: Union minister of state Upendra Kushwaha today said Nitish Kumar was "in deep shock" after the Uttar Pradesh results because the chief minister's "dream" of becoming Prime Minister has been quashed.

"People should not even dream of anyone posing a challenge to Narendra Modi ji," Kushwaha, the junior Union human resource development minister, said. "For a few days, Nitish was on cloud nine thinking there was some way to reach the PM's post. After the UP results, Nitish must clear all doubts of a vacancy in 2019 as well as the next five years from then. The only option is Narendra Modi."

Kushwaha was in Patna for the felicitation programme of his Rashtriya Lok Samata Party leader Sanjeev Shyam Singh, who won the Legislative Council poll from the Gaya teachers' constituency.

The JDU hit back at Kushwaha. "He had criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshows (in Varanasi) and now he is oiling Modi ji out of fear of losing his cabinet berth," said JDU spokesperson Sanjay Singh. "The leader who stopped the victory chariot of Prime Minister Modi in Bihar was Nitishji. In 2019, if all opposition parties come together, Nitish ji can become the face. He has long political experience and has been a Union minister."

Kushwaha said: "All doors have been closed for Nitish to become PM; he is in deep shock.... The country has decided to go ahead and develop under Modi ji's leadership and there is no looking back."