It’s not about love.

Hard-charging Gov. Andrew Cuomo has never been known to be the cuddly type and admitted as much in an interview with Susan Arbertter this morning on The Capitol Pressroom.

Asked if relations between the Legislature and his administration are fraying — perhaps because of his quiet lobbying for former IG Ellen Biben to become leader of an independent ethics watchdog, his push for more executive control over the budget or just the natural devolution of good feelings — Cuomo noted that love isn’t the real motivator.

“The relationship is not based on love… It’s not about chocolates and candies and love,” Cuomo said.

He added that his relationships with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos remain professional.

“We have a functioning relationship,” Cuomo said. “We have a respectful relationship. But many of the things I’m trying to get are tough to do.”

Lawmakers have little desire to publicly knock Cuomo, who enjoys a 72 percent approval rating and has accomplished a mountain of legislation in his first year.

There always exist natural tensions between the governor and the Legislature and Cuomo’s immediate predecessors aren’t exceptions to the rule. But Cuomo has achieved success with keeping lawmakers more or less in line. Senate Republicans have especially embraced Cuomo on his largely conservative fiscal goals, though it remains to be seen if those good feelings can continue post-redistricting.

The governor is yet to take a position on intra-Legislature jockeying, such as the dispute over a state primary date and the Assembly proposal to increase the minimum wage.

In the interview, Cuomo cast himself as something of a mediator between the two chambers, saying he worked in “tension management.”

“I think we can make this government run a lot better,” Cuomo said. “They want control over the budget and say where every dollar goes.”

Another contentious issue, the ongoing battle over teacher evaluations, is expected to come to a head this week. Cuomo has vowed to insert his own plan on evaluating teachers into his 30-day amendments unless unions and the semi-autonomous state Education Department can forge an agreement.

The amendments are due Thursday.

Cuomo said his plan wouldn’t be as complex as the current law.

“If I put in a new evaluation system, it will just be more straightforward,” he said, adding that he was still optimistic a deal could be reached without the need for the amendments to his $132.5 billion budget.

“Complicated is seldom good, so I would streamline a lot of the current problems,” he said.

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