Jindal set to announce presidential bid

Washington: Ending months of speculation, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is likely to announce his 2016 presidential bid in New Orleans that will make him the first Indian-American to run for the White House even as he terms such categorisation divisive.

When he announces his presidential bid, 44-year-old Jindal would join 12 Republican contenders that include political heavyweights like Jeb Bush and Rick Perry.

His expected historic announcement late night Wednesday (US time), however, has failed to generate much enthusiasm among the Indian-Americans –- whose annual family income now crosses 100,000 per annum and is among the richest ethnic communities in the US -- because of Jindal's recent statements in which he sought to distance himself from being an Indian-American.

Repeating his views, Jindal featured on the Federalist Radio Hour yesterday, and gave his perspective on the state of the union.

He expressed frustration that President Barack Obama has "been trying to divide us...By gender, by race, by geography, and by religion."

"We're not hyphenated Americans anymore. We're not African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Indian-Americans or rich and poor Americans," he asserted.

Pointing to his own melting-pot story, Jindal urged Republicans to call for an end to division.

Jindal, an Oxford-educated son of Indian immigrants, said the presidential contest remains "completely open".

He trumpeted the unifying leadership of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Senator Tim Scott in the wake of the Charleston tragedy in which a white gunman claimed nine lives.

"What a contrast with our president going out last week trying to score cheap political points," Jindal said, adding that Obama was "trying to turn this into a political rather than a healing moment."

Once a rising star of the Republican Party, the two-term Governor of Louisiana lost most of his shine after his lacklustre performance responding to President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address in 2009.

In the past two-years, he has worked on his public appearances and has since delivered some impressive speeches.

In his state of Louisiana where he has ruled for nearly seven years, Jindal is highly popular.

Tickets for the venue of his announcement in New Orleans have all been taken.

Over the last one year, Jindal has been making trips across the country, giving speeches and meeting people, listening to their concerns. In fact, he has come out with his own independent policies on almost all major issues including the foreign policy.