By Arun Kumar

Washington, Jan 23 (IANS) Bobby Jindal, an Indian American member of the US House of Representatives, plans to run again for governor of Louisiana state in a bid to become the first person of Indian origin to get the position.

The 35-year-old Republican, whose parents came from India's Punjab state, said Monday he will try to unseat Democratic Governor Kathleen Blanco - who defeated him in 2003 - in elections next November. A recent poll showed Jindal leading Blanco seeking re-election.

"Our state, our communities, and our families have been through some very tough times. There is clearly a hunger for a new approach to governing," Jindal said in a message posted on his website to announce his plans.

Jindal said he does not view this year's race as a retread of the 2003 election because of the destruction wrought by the 2005 Katrina and Rita hurricanes, which he said has given Louisiana new opportunities to correct old problems in education and health care.

Jindal's first political campaign for governor was four years ago when then-governor Mike Foster, a Republican who could not seek re-election because of term limits, pushed Jindal for the job.

He then made a successful bid for the House of Representatives from Louisiana's 1st District. Jindal won his second term in November 2006 by a majority of nearly 90 percent.

However, he will not kick off his campaign until the summer, Jindal said as "politics has a way of impeding progress, and Louisiana cannot afford to lose another second". He also wanted to avoid "DC-style politics with mudslinging", and instead focus on solving the problems that the state faces.

Noting that he had "a lot of work left to do representing Louisiana in Washington" before he hit the campaign trail, Jindal said, "I have important efforts underway in Congress and must continue doing all I can to focus the federal government on helping the people of Louisiana."

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