Three Relatives of Lottery Baron Santiago Martin Win in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry Polls

Leemarose Martin, wife of lottery businessman Santiago Martin, won the Lalgudi seat in Tamil Nadu as an AIADMK candidate, defeating TVK's Ku Pa Krishnan by 2,739 votes and ending over two decades of DMK dominance in the constituency. The AIADMK announced her appointment as Joint Secretary of its women's wing following the victory.
Aadhav Arjuna, Santiago Martin's son-in-law and general secretary of Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), captured the Vikkivakkam seat with a margin of 17,302 votes, defeating DMK's Karthik Mohan and the AIADMK's Vijayakumar SR by a wider gap. The win marks TVK's significant entry into the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Jose Charles Martin, Santiago Martin's son, won the Kamaraj Nagar seat in Puducherry as leader of his newly formed Latchiya Jananayaka Katchi (LJK), securing victory by over 10,000 votes against Congress and TVK candidates. He previously quit the BJP over seat allocation delays and has since relocated to Puducherry, stating ambitions to develop the Union Territory along the lines of Singapore and Hong Kong.
The three victories highlight the political reach of Santiago Martin, a major donor through electoral bonds, though his family members ran on separate platforms. Jose Charles Martin has rejected claims of undue influence, asserting his focus is on public service and regional development.
AIADMK, TVK, and LJK are expected to finalize their legislative strategies in the coming week, with assembly sessions scheduled to begin shortly. Leemarose Martin and Aadhav Arjuna are set to attend their respective party coordination meetings on Monday.