TN polls: Vijay isn’t the richest candidate; here’s who is

With assets crossing Rs 1,000 crore, AIADMK’s Leema Rose Martin has emerged as the richest candidate in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, according to her affidavit.

The AIADMK candidate for the Lalgudi Assembly constituency has declared total assets valued at approximately Rs 1,049.56 crore in her election affidavit with movable assets worth Rs 139.62 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 909.94 crore.

Also read: Lottery king Santiago Martin's 'Dutch booking strategy': 1 family, 3 parties, no losses

The 58-year-old, who is the wife of lottery businessman Santiago Martin, filed her nomination papers on April 6. Her declaration places her ahead of other high-net-worth individuals in the fray, including Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay, who declared assets worth over Rs 603 crore.

Total wealth of the Martin family

According to the 159-page document, Martin's immovable properties are spread across multiple districts, including Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, and Tiruppur, in addition to agricultural holdings in Kerala and near New Delhi. Her annual income for the 2024-25 fiscal year was reported at Rs 9.82 crore.

The candidate, whose educational qualification is listed as Class VI, holds diverse business interests in real estate, gaming, and the hospitality sector.

The affidavit also provides a glimpse into the family's total wealth, with her husband, Santiago Martin, declaring movable assets of Rs 3,262.01 crore and immovable assets of Rs 887.36 crore.

Her son, Jose Charles Martin, who is competing from Puducherry in BJP ticket, reported assets totaling over Rs 664 crore.

Also read: Puducherry 2026 elections: New party LJK faces bribery, 'B' team allegations

Her son-in-law, TVK’s Villivakkam candidate Aadhav Arjuna has declared total assets worth Rs 197 crore. Despite the significant holdings, the filing noted that both the candidate and her husband each own three TVS XL mopeds, alongside a personal car collection that includes a Hyundai Creta and a Mahindra Thar.

Legal records

Rose disclosed that she has four pending criminal cases against her. A significant portion of her legal challenges involves proceedings initiated by the Income Tax Department. These cases involve the transfer of tax assessments from Coimbatore to Kolkata, a move that she and her daughter, Daisy Martin Aadhav Arjuna, unsuccessfully challenged in the Madras High Court in late 2024.

As the wife of Santiago Martin, she has been named in matters related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). These investigations typically stem from the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) long-standing scrutiny of her husband’s lottery business and alleged "proceeds of crime" totaling hundreds of crores.

Also read: TVK chief Vijay under lens again after conflicting poll affidavits

The cases are currently being handled in various jurisdictions, including specialised courts in Chennai and Kolkata.

The Lalgudi seat is expected to witness a high-profile contest as Tamil Nadu heads to the polls on April 23, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4. Leema Rose will contest alongside T Paari Vallal from DMK and K P Krishnan from TVK.