The family of lottery baron Santiago Martin today resembles a diversified political portfolio. Martin’s wife, Leema Rose Martin, is AIADMK’s candidate from Lalgudi in Trichy. His son, Jose Charles Martin, founder of Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK), is contesting from Kamaraj Nagar in Puducherry as part of the AINRC–BJP alliance. Meanwhile, his son-in-law Aadhav Arjuna, general secretary of TVK, is in the fray from Villivakkam in Chennai. The 2026 assembly election could signify many things. One among them is the expanding footprint of the Martin family in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry politics. For all three, this poll marks their electoral debut. But that is not all that caught everyone’s eye, their growing clout has as well. Aadhav Arjuna has become among the most influential leaders in TVK, while Jose Charles could stay in AINRC–BJP alliance despite opposition from AINRC founder N Rangasamy. Jose Charles Martin says the political venture was not a strategic move by the family. “In a vibrant democracy, it is not mandatory for every family member to subscribe to the same political ideology,” he says. Their swift ascent across their respective domains has, however, come as no surprise. Jose Charles, 38, chose Puducherry as his political launchpad two years ago. He says the compact Union territory with a population of roughly 10 lakh fits his vision of converting the place into a modern, developed enclave on the lines of Dubai or Singapore. “In a place like Puducherry, I can show results faster,” says Charles, who is also the managing director of Martin Group. His entry into Puducherry politics was facilitated by BJP leader John Kumar, who had business links with the Martin family. Charles began by launching a welfare platform, Jose Charles Mandram, distributing benefits before floating LJK in Dec 2025. Though he initially planned to contest all 30 seats and project himself as a chief ministerial candidate, he later aligned with the BJP-led front and was allotted two seats. The move nearly strained AINRC–BJP ties, with AINRC chief N Rangasamy wary of associating himself with the lottery baron’s family. He briefly walked out of alliance talks before relenting after intervention from BJP leadership. “It took a phone call from Delhi to convince Rangasamy,” says an LJK functionary. Leema Rose Martin’s entry into AIADMK has been equally swift. Managing trustee of Martin Foundation, she had a 14-year stint in T R Paarivendhar’s Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi but never contested elections. After joining AIADMK in Feb, she was appointed the party’s women’s wing joint secretary and has now been fielded as the party’s candidate in Lalgudi. While there was initial resistance among AIADMK ranks over her sudden prominence, party functionaries say she has managed to win over sections of the cadre. DMK, however, views her as a serious challenger in Lalgudi, a constituency it has held since 2006 and one that carries political significance, being home to leaders such as K N Nehru and Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi. “The fight has got tougher as four-time MLA Soundarapandian has not been given a ticket this time,” says a DMK functionary. Like her son’s choice of Puducherry, Leema’s selection of Lalgudi despite having no direct links to the constituency is also seen as strategic. She hails from Devakottai in Ramanathapuram district but chose Lalgudi because of a sizable Udayar and Christian voter base, say AIADMK cadre. Meanwhile, Aadhav Arjuna has chosen Villivakkam for his electoral debut. Since joining TVK in Feb 2025, his influence within the party has grown steadily. Party insiders say he plays a key role in decision-making and was closely involved in senior leadership engagements, including visits to Delhi. Political observers argue that the family’s growing influence is closely tied to its financial clout. Charles dismisses this criticism. “Reducing our acceptance among the masses to mere financial influence is a desperate attempt to belittle our efforts,” he says. Santiago Martin has long maintained proximity to political power, emerging as one of the largest donors to major parties, including DMK, AIADMK and BJP, through electoral bonds. What has changed now is that the family is no longer operating from the sidelines. But all is not well in the family. Jose Charles has publicly criticised Aadhav Arjuna, citing ideological differences, and alleged that he scuttled a potential alliance between LJK and TVK. “He has victimized my family. I have suffered because of him,” says Charles. Nevertheless, the political moves signal the expanding footprint of the Martin family. Santiago Martin The net worth of Santiago Martin, chairman of Martin Group of Companies with interests spanning real estate, hospitality and education, is little known. What is clear, however, is the scale of his political contributions. According to data from Election Commission of India, his company, Future Gaming and Hotel Services Pvt Ltd, purchased electoral bonds worth `1,368cr between 2019 and 2024, making it the single largest donor to political parties. Of this, roughly `500cr has gone to DMK. Tiger Associates, a Kolkata-based lottery firm with Subbayan Nagarajan as a designated partner, identified in enforcement records as a close associate of Santiago Martin, had donated `50cr to DMK and `60cr to AIADMK in 2024–25. In a statement issued in 2023, the company said Martin and his group firms paid `23,199cr in GST between July 2017 and Sept 2023, averaging `5,000cr annually
