Eyeing White House, Bobby Jindal steps up political activity

Louisiana's Indian American Governor Bobby Jindal, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, will headline a major Republican fundraising event in the early primary state of South Carolina.

Jindal will address the 'Silver Elephant Dinner', the finale of the state Republican Party's annual convention in Columbia, on June 6, CNN reported noting "the state doubles as a must-do stopover for ambitious politicians with an eye on the White House."

He visited the state last summer to kick off Indian-American Governor Nikki Haley's re-election bid alongside Texas Governor Rick Perry and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.

But Jindal's Silver Elephant speech will mark his first solo appearance before a crowd of the state party's most dedicated activists and donors, CNN said.

Jindal, it noted, is the just latest in a long line of potential 2016 candidates to address the dinner.

"We are proud to welcome Governor Bobby Jindal to South Carolina," South Carolina Republican chairman Matt Moore was quoted as saying in an email to CNN.

"Our Republican governors are leading the way with solutions to America's toughest challenges. Few governors can articulate those solutions like Governor Jindal."

Jindal has jump-started his political activity in recent months with a flurry of education policy op-eds, a national health care plan and appearances in the leadoff caucus and primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire, CNN said.

In March, Jindal convened a private lunch with more than a dozen influential Republican power players in New Hampshire, including former Governor John Sununu, former Governor Steve Merrill, attorney Tom Rath and former Mitt Romney fundraiser Beverly Bruce.

On Monday, the Iowa Republican Party announced that Jindal will appear at that party's convention in June.

He's also vice chairman of the Republican Governors Association, a platform that keeps him connected to top party fundraisers around the country.