Published May 04, 2026 | 9:58 PM ⚊ Updated May 04, 2026 | 9:58 PM
Aadhav Arjuna, Leema Rose Martin and Jose Charles Martin.
Synopsis: Three members of the family of ‘Lottery King’ Santiago Martin, the largest buyer of electoral bonds, have won Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. His wife Leema Rose Martin, son Jose Charles Martin and son-in-law Aadhav Arjuna won from Lalgudi, Kamaraj Nagar and Villivakkam respectively.
Three members of the family of ‘Lottery King’ Santiago Martin—the largest buyer of electoral bonds—have won Assembly seats across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Martin’s wife, Leema Rose Martin, won from Lalgudi in Tamil Nadu on an AIADMK ticket by 2,739 votes, defeating candidates from the DMK and TVK.
She joined the AIADMK on 17 February, was appointed deputy secretary of its women’s wing, secured a ticket soon after. Prior to that, she was with Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi.
‘Lottery King’ Santiago Martin.
Aadhav Arjuna, election wing secretary of the TVK and married to Martin’s daughter Daisy, won from Villivakkam in Tamil Nadu. He win comes even as TVK campaigned against dynastic politics this election.
Martin’s son, Jose Charles Martin, won from Kamaraj Nagar in Puducherry with 16,592 votes, a margin of 10,205. He contested as part of the NDA months after launching his own party, Lakshiya Jananayaga Katchi, and publicly criticised Aadhav Arjuna.
Through his company, Future Gaming and Hotel Services Pvt. Ltd, Martin gave ₹1,368 crore to political parties via electoral bonds, the highest in the country between 2018 and 2024, before the Supreme Court abolished the scheme.
Notably, about ₹540 crore went to the Trinamool Congress, around ₹500 crore to the DMK, and ₹100 crore to the BJP. He also gave crores to the Congress and the YSRCP.
The election results place key members of the Martin family in legislatures in both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Aadhav Arjuna’s senior role in TVK has also led to expectations that he may secure a ministerial berth.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
