Bobby Jindal, the Indian-American Governor of louisiana, plans to take a call after the Congressional elections in November on whether he should enter the US presidential race in 2016.
Jindal is thought to be among well over a dozen Republicans reportedly toying with the idea of a presidential run, with that list including such political heavyweights as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Tea Party favourites like Senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz, Congressman Paul Ryan and former presidential hopefuls Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum.
At a breakfast meeting hosted by The Christian Science Monitor on Tuesday, Jindal said he was indeed thinking about a presidential run, and he would make his decision after the November elections.
The first-ever Indian-American to become governor of an American State, Jindal is currently in his second term as louisiana Governor. Prior to that, he was elected twice to the US House of Representatives.
“If I were to decide to run for 2016, it would have nothing to do with polls or fundraising,” he said, stressing that it would instead depend on his assessment to the question: “Do I think I can make a difference (as US President), do I think I have something unique to offerIJ”
Jindal has come out with a 47-page brochure on energy policy, promoting America as the world’s greatest energy producer. He says the US has more oil, natural gas, and coal than any other nation, but the Obama administration is a stumbling block in tapping that potential, as seen in the continuing delay of a decision on the Keystone Xl pipeline to carry oil from Canada to the US Gulf Coast.
last month, Jindal attracted attention by filing a lawsuit against the Obama administration, accusing it of illegally manipulating federal grant money and regulations to force states to adopt the Common Core education standards.