Bobby Jindal to head Republican fundraiser, stokes 2016 polls bid speculation

WASHINGTON: Indian-American Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal will head a Republican fundraiser next month in New Hampshire, a move that has set the political circles abuzz about his possible 2016 White House bid.

Jindal, 41, will raise money for the campaign arm of state Senate Republicans at an event in Manchester with ticket prices running from $ 100 to $ 5,000.

"The state Senate Republicans for the first time are the backstop for all the spending and taxes in New Hampshire," Michael Dennehy, a Republican party consultant organising the event, told CNN.

"To kick off their campaign efforts for 2014, the senators wanted one of the nation's top Republicans to lead the charge for them," he said.

Jindal's visit to New Hampshire will come several days before Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who is also looking at a run for the Republican nomination, appears in the state for a party fundraiser.

Dennehy acknowledged that Jindal's visit is important as potential candidates are already making early moves as they consider White House bids.

"Unofficially, New Hampshire also welcomes a governor who Republicans across the country are looking to as a possible candidate for the GOP nomination in 2016," he said.

"It continues to show the power of New Hampshire to attract a popular governor to the first in the nation primary state," Dennehy said.

Jindal made headlines earlier this year at a Republican National Committee meeting in Charlotte when he delivered a blistering critique accusing some people in the Republican Party of using insulting language that is turning off voters.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) is meeting this week in California where a major discussion point is how better to reach out to minority and younger voters and use effective language in doing so.