SM Krishna, who was the Former External Affairs Minister and ex-Karnataka Chief Minister has called for a "complete and total" ban on corporate funding of polls, saying there is a need to end political corruption and cleanse the electoral system in the country. The root of administrative corruption lies in political corruption, and the root of political corruption lies in electoral corruption, said Krishna, who has seen electoral politics from close quarters for over five decades.

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"We first need to cleanse the electoral system. The process is going on here and there. There have been some reforms which are just in the initial stages", the former Karnataka Chief Minister told a leading daily. "But I am happy that there is no political corruption at the top in the Centre. There is not a single allegation of corruption or nepotism. The Prime Minister himself is absolutely and impeccably clean and honest. This is a very big positive development", he said.

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"Slowly, things will fall in its place. A situation will arise where people will choose candidates on the basis of the performance of the party in the government and in the opposition", the former Maharashtra Governor added. Krishna, who joined BJP over three years ago after more than 45 years' association with the Congress, said electoral reforms need to pick up pace and we must think of bringing in public funding of elections and a complete and total ban on private funding, which means funding from corporate companies.

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