AIADMK’s Lalgudi candidate Lima Rose Martin

New Delhi: AIADMK’s Lalgudi candidate Lima Rose Martin has emerged as the richest contestant in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, declaring assets worth about Rs 1,049.56 crore in her election affidavit filed ahead of the April 23 polls.The 58-year-old wife of lottery businessman Santiago Martin filed her nomination papers on Monday. His affidavit shows movable assets worth Rs 139.62 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 909.94 crore, putting him ahead of other high-value candidates in the race, including Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay, who has declared assets worth over Rs 603 crore.The 159-page affidavit reveals that his real estate assets are spread across several districts including Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli and Tirupur. He also has agricultural holdings in Kerala and near New Delhi. Their annual income for the financial year 2024-25 was reported to be Rs 9.82 crore.The educational qualification of the candidate is stated to be Class VI. The affidavit also states that he has business interests in real estate, gaming and hospitality sectors.Her husband Santiago Martin has declared movable assets worth Rs 3,262.01 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 887.36 crore.His son, Jose Charles Martin, who is contesting from Puducherry on a BJP ticket, has declared total assets worth more than Rs 664 crore. His son-in-law, TVK Villivakkam candidate Aadhav Arjun, has declared total assets worth Rs 197 crore.The affidavit states that Lima Rose Martin and her husband both own three TVS XL mopeds. His personal vehicle collection also includes a Hyundai Creta and a Mahindra Thar.Rose has disclosed four criminal cases pending against him. A significant portion of his legal matters relate to proceedings initiated by the Income Tax Department. These cases include shifting of tax assessment from Coimbatore to Kolkata, a move which he and his daughter Daisy Martin Adhav Arjun unsuccessfully challenged in the Madras High Court in late 2024.As the wife of Santiago Martin, she has also been named in cases related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). These investigations are generally linked to the long-running investigation by the Enforcement Directorate into her husband’s lottery business and alleged “proceeds of crime” worth hundreds of crores of rupees.The cases are currently being tried in various courts including special courts in Chennai and Kolkata.The Lalgudi seat is expected to be a high-profile contest as Tamil Nadu goes to polls on April 23 and the counting of votes will take place on May 4.