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With declared assets worth over ₹1,049 crore, Leemarose Martin was wealthiest candidate in Tamil Nadu polls. Her son-in-law won on TVK seat, while her son won in Puducherry
Leemarose Martin. (Instagram)
AIADMK MLA-elect Leemarose Martin on Tuesday claimed that the party’s general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami was in talks to provide support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) led by actor-turned politician Vijay to form a stable government.
Who is Leemarose Martin, the Tamil Nadu MLA at the centre of the AIADMK-TVK talks? News18 explains.
WHO IS LEEMAROSE MARTIN?
Leemarose Martin is the wife of “lottery baron” Santiago Martin who won a closely contested race in the Lalgudi assembly constituency in Tiruchi district.
With declared assets worth over ₹1,049 crore, she was the wealthiest candidate in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
She currently serves as the Joint Secretary of the AIADMK Women’s Wing, a position she was appointed to shortly after joining the party from the Indiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) in early 2026.
Leema won from the Lalgudi constituency in Tamil Nadu on an AIADMK ticket, defeating her closest rival by over 2,500 votes. The result is significant as Lalgudi, long considered a stronghold of the DMK, shifted to the AIADMK after more than two decades.
Chennai, Tamil Nadu: AIADMK MLA-elect Leema Rose Martin said, “Talks are currently underway with AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami from the TVK side.” pic.twitter.com/kcLajIYpM4— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2026
LINKS TO 3 PARTIES
Her son-in-law, Aadhav Arjunarepresenting TVK, won from the Villivakkam assembly constituency in Chennai.
In Puducherry, her son, Jose Charles Martin, won the Kamaraj Nagar seat by a margin of more than 10,000 votes. He contested on a ticket from his own party, Latchiya Jananayaka Katchi (LJK), which made its electoral debut and is aligned with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
TVK, AIADMK, CONGRESS: THE TAMIL NADU NUMBER GAME
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, launched in 2024, performed impressively securing 108 seats out of 234 Assembly constituencies in the state, in its maiden electoral debut. However, the TVK falls short of the 118-seat majority mark . The party is in talks with many parties in the state, including the Congress.
WHY LEEMAROSE MARTIN IS AT THE CENTRE OF THE TALKS?
Leemarose Martin is considered a crucial bridge between the two parties due to her family ties and public disclosures. Aadhav Arjuna’s win has placed the Martin family at the heart of both camps.
Her recent statement on the negotiations intensified internal AIADMK discussions, with reports suggesting a significant section of AIADMK MLAs are pushing for a coalition with TVK to keep the DMK out of power.
With agency inputs
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