File photo of Bobby Jindal (Reuters)
Indian-origin US presidential aspirant Bobby Jindal has gained ground in the key battleground of Iowa, according to a new poll that put him on the fifth spot in the state among 17 Republicans vying for the party's nomination.
Jindal, the two-time Louisiana governor, has improved his Iowa polling, rising from 4 per cent support in August to 6 per cent support in September, according to a poll released by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal.
The four presidential candidates ahead of Jindal in Iowa are Donald Trump (24 per cent), Ben Carson (19 per cent), Carly Fiorina (eight per cent) and Jeb Bush (seven per cent).
Pundits noted Sunday that the polling data appear to be the best news for 44-year-old Jindal out of the field of candidates because of his steady improvement.
"You'd say here, that maybe it's Bobby Jindal that has to feel the best about this. Above 5 per cent -- somewhere, being Iowa, that's good news for him," Chuck Todd of the NBC said.
"In fact, Governor Jindal is just one point behind Jeb Bush and two points behind Carly Fiorina, well within the margin of error. Momentum is building in Iowa," the Jindal Campaign said.
Jindal's numbers are up from four percent in September and show an upward trajectory in Iowa NBC/Marist polls going back to February.
The new poll puts him ahead of Mike Huckabee (five per cent) and Rick Santorum (one per cent), among other candidates.