Tamil Nadu Assembly election: AIADMK’s Leemarose, one of richest candidates, declares assets worth ₹1,049 crore

Leemarose, the AIADMK candidate for the Lalgudi Assembly constituency in Tiruchi district, has declared movable and immovable assets worth over ₹1,049 crore, making her one of the richest candidates contesting the 2026 elections in Tamil Nadu.

Wife of lottery baron S. Martin, Ms. Leemarose was appointed joint secretary of the women’s wing of the AIADMK after she joined the Dravidian party on quitting the Indiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK) a few months ago.

In the affidavit filed along with her nomination on Monday (April 6, 2026), Ms. Leemarose has declared movable assets worth ₹139.62 crore and immovable assets worth over ₹909.94 crore at current market value in her name. She has liabilities to the tune of ₹8.56 crore by way of loans from bank, financial institutions and others.

Her husband Mr. Martin’s movable assets are worth about ₹3,262 crore and his immovable assets are valued at ₹887.36 crore. His liabilities towards banks, financial institutions and others have been put at ₹325.07 crore.

A resident of Coimbatore, 58-year-old Leemarose has studied upto class VI at the Government Higher Secondary School at Thiruvadanai in Ramanathapuram district. She has declared an annual income of ₹9.82 crore in her Income Tax return for the year 2024-25, according to the affidavit running to 159 pages, including various annexures on her assets and liabilities and the pending criminal cases against her.

The pending cases include a couple of cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act filed by the Enforcement Directorate.