Chicago (PTI): President Barack Obama's former Indian-American campaign adviser Raja Krishnamoorthi will be running for the post of Illinois Comptroller, the State's chief fiscal officer, in the 2010 elections.

Mr. Krishnamoorthi said he will "fight to restore trust in state government and bring more transparency and accountability" at a time when the State has been plagued with scandals like digging and selling of grave sites at the Burr Oak cemetery and admission irregularities at the University of Illinois.

"As so often happens in our capital Springfield, the special interests have won and our state government is broken.It is time to fix it. That is why I am running to become your next Illinois Comptroller," Mr. Krishnamoorthi said in an email.

He said the Burr Oak Cemetery scandal was only the latest example of the dishonesty riddling Illinois and the University of Illinois admissions clout scandal has shown that insiders have corrupted first-class higher education system.

"We need a State government willing to challenge the insiders and the status quo on behalf of hard-pressed taxpayers," he added.

The incumbent Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes has announced that he would run for Governor of Illinois, making the office of Comptroller vacant in the 2010 election.

Mr. Krishnamoorthi, who has earlier served as Deputy Illinois Treasurer, said he is seeking support to get his name on the ballot for next February's Democratic primary as well as help to finance the campaign.

If he wins, he would be the first Asian-American to hold Statewide office in Illinois.

As the State's chief fiscal officer, the comptroller is the keeper of the state's cheque book and has intimate knowledge of the state's finances, serving as the people's fiscal guardian.

Mr. Krishnamoorthi had worked on Mr. Obama's successful 2004 campaign for the U.S. Senate, serving first as the issues director for his primary campaign and then as a senior adviser in his general election campaign.

He was also among "friends and family" invited to attend Mr. Obama's January 20 inauguration ceremony.

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