Houston, Nov. 16: Indian-origin Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, considered a potential Republican presidential candidate, has ruled out his bid for the White House in 2012.
Mr Jindal, 39, who is currently promoting his new book Leadership and Crisis, said on Monday that he is not interested in running for President in 2012 and will run for re-election for governorship next year, local newspaper Advocate quoted him as saying.
“I’m running for re-election for governor of the state of Louisiana for next year, but I want folks across the country to see what we’ve done in Louisiana,” Mr Jindal said. “I’m running for re-election. Next year, you’ll have a lot of Republicans in Iowa. I’m sure I’ll be in Louisiana,” WWL First News quoted him as saying.
However, to a question about whether he would spurn a chance at the vice-presidency, Mr Jindal said, “It would be obnoxious for me to turn down something I’ve not been offered,” Mr Jindal said. In his book, Mr Jindal has criticised the President for the way he handled the recent oil spill crisis in the Gulf of Mexico.
Mr Jindal argued that Mr Obama’s response to the disaster was a metaphor for what he described as the administration’s more fundamental problem. “They’re not connected to reality on the ground,” Mr Jindal said.
In addition to promoting his book in New York City, California and Washington DC, the governor plans to raise money for his re-election campaign and attend the Republican Governors Association’s annual conference.