Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 75: Bharata’s Conversation with Kausalyā-devī
Text 2.75.2

राज्यं न कामये जातु मन्त्रये नापि मातरम्।
अभिषेकं न जानामि योऽभूद्राज्ञा समीक्षितः।
विप्रकृष्टे ह्यहं देशे शत्रुघ्नसहितोऽवसम्॥

rājyaṁ na kāmaye jātu mantraye nāpi mātaram
abhiṣekaṁ na jānāmi yo ’bhūd rājñā samīkṣitaḥ
viprakṛṣṭe hy ahaṁ deśe śatrughna-sahito ’vasam

rājyam = the kingdom; na kāmaye jātu = I have never ever desired; mantraye na = I did not discuss this; api = and; mātaram = with My mother; abhiṣekam = the coronation; na jānāmi = I didn’t approve of; yaḥ = that; abhūt rājñā samīkṣitaḥ = the king had contemplated about; viprakṛṣṭe = in a far away; hi = because; aham = I; deśe = land; śatrughna-sahitaḥ = with Śatrughna; avasam = was living.

I have never ever desired the kingdom. I did not discuss this with My mother. I didn’t approve of the coronation that the king had contemplated about because I was living in a far away land with Śatrughna.

Bharata never wanted the kingdom and didn’t discuss this, that is, His taking over the kingdom with His mother.1

1 In text 2.72.27, Bharata informed Queen Kaikeyī that He had happily expected King Daśaratha to coronate Śrī Rāma. Bharata had neither expected nor desired that His father would coronate Him instead.