Jindal the smartest candidate in presidential race: US daily

Indian-origin Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal might be trailing behind in recent polls, but is the smartest candidate in the race for 2016 presidential elections, a top US daily has said.

In a report, the popular Christian Science Monitor attributed this to Jindal's Christian faith despite being born and raised as a Hindu.

"Jindal may not be near the top of the polls for the Republican presidential nomination race or even drawing the biggest crowds, but he may be the smartest candidate in the race," the daily reported as it listed out six facts about his Christian faith.

Topping the list is Jindal's remarks on several occasions that the single most important moment in his life "is the moment I found Jesus Christ."

He was raised in a Hindu household.

He has said on several occasions that he best identifies as an "evangelical Catholic" and says he "felt as if the Bible had been written especially for me," the daily reported.

The monitor said some in the media like to poke fun at Jindal for his participation in an exorcism of his college friend.

His Democrat opponent in the governor's race, Kathleen Blanco, even tried to use this fact against him, but ultimately failed.

Jindal called it an attack on his faith and Blanco soon dropped the attack in heavily Catholic Louisiana, it said.

In 2014, Jindal told The Washington Post that after his conversion his parents "were very, very concerned."

It was a cause of friction in their relationship for a period.

"His parents are still actively Hindu but according to Jindal he says they are now more accepting of his decision and have attended the baptism of their grandchildren in the Catholic Church," the newspaper said.

The sacraments and tradition led him to the Catholic Church in college, the daily reported.

"His faith reflects his views on abortion and he delivered his youngest child at home before paramedics arrived," said The Christian Science Monitor.