French Justice Minister Rachida Dati plans to rebuild career as Paris Mayor

London, February 13 (ANI): French Justice Minister Rachida Dati is reportedly planning to run for Paris Mayor to rebuild her brief political career, despite the fact that there is no vacancy until 2014.

Her associates have hinted that she wants to prove that her fortunes are no longer purely dependent on the whims of her estranged mentor, French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Sarkozy ordered Dati late last month to give up her high-profile post as Justice Minister from June to take the unglamorous position of No 2 on his centre-right party's list for the greater Paris area in the European elections.

Dati's aides, she has decided to make a virtue of her exile to the European Parliament and prove that she is capable of becoming a successful, elected politician.

They say that Dati wants to emerge as the right-wing challenger to the Socialist Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe.

"The first step is the European election. That will increase her contacts with local politicians and dignitaries. Parisians will start to think Dati is the centre-right in Paris," the Independent quoted Pierre-Yves Bournazel, political adviser to Dati, as telling Le Parisien.

Sarkozy is said to have little faith in Dati's ability to become a serious candidate for mayor.

He had earmarked the role for the Prime Minister, Francois Fillon, whom he is expected to replace in the autumn. (ANI)