Bobby Jindal concedes defeat

At 10.40 Central time, Piyush 'Bobby' Jindal conceded defeat in the run off for the post of Governor of Louisiana.

At the point when Bobby Jindal came down into the ballroom of the Astro Crowne Plaza Hotel, on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, where his campaign team was gathered, results had come in from 4032 out of the 4143 parishes.

Democrat Kathleen Babineaux Blanco led with 699,051 votes (52 per cent) against Jindal's 648,736 (48 per cent), a lead of 51,315 votes that Jindal conceded was insurmountable.

Jindal appeared with daughter Selia Elizabeth in his arms, and accompanied by wife Supriya, and the couple's parents; he was greeted with fervent chants of 'Bobby, Bobby'.

"I am disappointed, but not discouraged, by the result," Jindal told his cheering supporters, over 1000 of whom had packed the ballroom. "I am proud to be a Louisianian, proud to be an American, proud to represent thousands of people in this state."

Jindal thanked his family, especially wife Supriya, for their unstinted support; he also thanked at length Governor Mike Foster, his mentor, for urging him to contest and having faith in him.

"We could have lived anywhere in the world," Jindal said, pointing to his family ranged behind him. "But we chose Louisiana to live. This is our home."

Jindal promised that despite his defeat, he would continue to serve the state, and work to make it better.

He rounded off his short speech by putting before the people of Louisiana a three point program: Work for change; Aim high; Keep the faith.