'Indian American among 50 US politicians to watch for'

WASHINGTON: Indian American Nikki Haley, who is seeking the Republican party nomination to run for South Carolina Governor elections next year, has been identified as one of the 50 politicians to watch for by an eminent US news organisation.

"Even if Haley can't capture the GOP nomination, she has managed to catch the eye of her national party, which is desperately looking for fresh faces," Politico, known for its extensive coverage of politics in Washington, wrote on its website.

In an interview to Politico, Haley said she is "surprised" by the attention her candidacy has attracted, but she warned that the party's future relies on issues, not personalities. "It's about making sure we hold those fresh faces in government accountable," she said.

Haley, a 37-year-old state legislator, is often compared with another Indian-American and Republican star Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana.

If elected, she would be only the second Indian American and the first American women of Indian origin to become the Governor of a US state.