Widely seen as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, Chief Minister Narendra Modi declared Thursday that he wants to "serve" Gujarat until 2017.

Re-elected the chief minister in 2012 for five years, Modi, 62, told a group of school students here on Teacher's Day in response to a question: "I will serve my people till 2017."

He said in life "one should always dream of doing something".

Modi was made this year the Bharatiya Janata Party's Lok Sabha campaign chief, further fuelling speculation that he is in the race for the prime minister's post.

Modi advised students to think of doing something rather than dreaming of becoming something.

"People who dream of becoming something often fail. Avoid dreaming. I don't see such dreams. I don't want to see such dreams. If you want to do something, think about it. Then you will definitely do it," Modi said in reply to a question posed by a student.

He also said Gujarat is his priority since people of the state had voted for him to serve them till 2017.

Earlier, the function also brought a warring Modi and Governor Kamla Beniwal on a common stage as they felicitated some teachers on the day.