Mumbai: The head of RBI, Raghuram Rajan, has brushed off talk that he could be a candidate for the top job at the International Monetary Fund when Christine Lagarde`s term ends next year, according to a newspaper interview.
Speculation on Rajan`s ambitions, gaining strength as the end of his term approaches in 2016, increased after an analyst`s report last week pointed to the government`s push for greater representation in the top ranks of the IMF, and to Rajan as a candidate to be the first chief from a developing country.
Rajan, who has run the Reserve Bank of India since 2013, was chief economist at the IMF between 2003 and 2006.
"Lagarde is doing a fine job (in) Washington and that job is not open. She might go for a second term," Rajan said.
"Earlier, some people wanted me to pack off to the BRICS Bank. They seem to find a new job for me every few months ... I am not looking for any new opportunities for when my term here comes to an end."
Brokerage Ambit, in its report last week, said India accounted for 6 percent of world gross domestic product but has a voting share at the IMF amounting to less than half that.
Rajan`s term at the RBI ends in September next year, two months after Lagarde`s current term comes to a close.
