Chennai, 05 May (H.S.): In a striking electoral outcome, three members of lottery baron Santiago Martin’s family have secured victories in the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Assembly elections—each representing different political parties, underscoring a rare cross-party political footprint.
Martin’s wife, Leema Rose Martin, won from the Lalgudi constituency in Tamil Nadu on an AIADMK ticket. She defeated Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) candidate K.P. Krishnan by a margin of 2,739 votes. The seat, long considered a stronghold of the DMK, had been retained by the party in four consecutive elections between 2006 and 2021. However, in this election, the DMK candidate was pushed to third place, marking a significant upset.
In another key result, Martin’s son-in-law, Aadhav Arjuna, emerged victorious from the Villivakkam constituency as a candidate of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. He defeated DMK’s Karthik Mohan by a margin of 17,302 votes. Villivakkam had also been a DMK bastion in the previous two elections, making this win a notable breakthrough for the party.
Meanwhile, in Puducherry, Martin’s son, Jose Charles Martin, secured victory from the Kamaraj Nagar constituency. Contesting under the banner of his own party, Lachiya Jananayaka Katchi—an ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)—he defeated Congress candidate P.K. Devadas by 10,205 votes.
The victories are particularly significant as all three candidates were among the wealthiest in the fray. Leema Rose Martin declared assets worth ₹1,041 crore, making her the richest candidate in Tamil Nadu. In Puducherry, Jose Charles Martin topped the list with ₹597 crore in declared assets, while Aadhav Arjuna reported assets worth ₹442 crore.
Santiago Martin has also drawn attention for his financial contributions to political parties, including reported electoral bond donations exceeding ₹500 crore to the DMK.
The simultaneous success of his family members across three different political platforms highlights both their individual electoral strength and the shifting dynamics of regional politics, where traditional strongholds witnessed unexpected results.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
