Bobby Jindal quits presidential campaign: This is not my time

Having failed to make the cut as Republican presidential candidate, Indian-American Bobby Jindal has announced to suspend his campaign to the White House noting "this is not his time".

"This is not my time, so I am suspending my campaign for president," Jindal said in a statement on Tuesday that surprised the American political pundits.

"I cannot tell you what an honour it has been to run for president of the United States of America. My parents came to this country 45 years ago searching for freedom and a chance," he said.

Going forward, the Louisiana governor said he believes that the Republicans have to be the party of growth and it can never stop being the party that believes in opportunity.

"We cannot settle for The Left's view of envy and division. We have to be the party that says everyone in this country -- no matter the circumstances of their birth or who their parents are -- can succeed in America," he said.

"One of the things I will do is go back to work at the think tank I started a few years ago -- where I will be outlining a blueprint for making this the American century. We must show the way forward on growing our economy and winning the war against terror, and especially defeating radical Islam," Jindal said.

"I realise that our country is off on the wrong track right now. Everyone knows that, but don't forget, this is still the greatest country in the history of the world – and every single one of us should start every day by thanking God that we are fortunate enough to be US citizens," he added.

Jindal, 44, often polled under one per cent and his campaign, reportedly, suffered financial pressure. He has now become the third Republican to opt out of the 2016 presidential race.

"Now is the time for all those Americans who still believe in freedom and American exceptionalism to stand up and defend it. The idea of America -- the idea that my parents came here for almost a half a century ago -- that idea is slipping away from us. Freedom is under assault from both outside our borders and from within. We must act now, we do not have a moment to spare," Jindal said.

Here is the full text of Jindal's statement:

'I cannot tell you what an honor it has been to run for President of the United States of America. My parents came to this country 45 years ago searching for freedom and a chance.

When I was born, we lived in student housing at LSU, and never in their wildest dreams did they think their son would have the opportunity to serve as Governor of Louisiana or to run for President.

They raised me to believe Americans can do anything, and they were right, we can. But this is not my time, so I am suspending my campaign for President.

Going forward, I believe we have to be the party of growth and we can never stop being the party that believes in opportunity. We cannot settle for The Left’s view of envy and division. We have to be the party that says everyone in this country - no matter the circumstances of their birth or who their parents are – can succeed in America.

One of the things I will do is go back to work at the think tank I started a few years ago - where I will be outlining a blueprint for making this the American century.

We must show the way forward on growing our economy and winning the war against terror, and especially defeating radical Islam.

I realise that our country is off on the wrong track right now. Everyone knows that, but don’t forget, this is still the greatest country in the history of the world – and every single one of us should start every day by thanking God that we are fortunate enough to be US citizens.

Now is the time for all those Americans who still believe in freedom and American exceptionalism to stand up and defend it.  The idea of America – the idea that my parents came here for almost a half a century ago - that idea is slipping away from us.  Freedom is under assault from both outside our borders and from within.  We must act now, we do not have a moment to spare.'

 Image: Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal answers questions from the media in Des Moines, Iowa. Photograph: Mark Kauzlarich/Reuters