The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Puducherry is facing internal strain amid growing friction over the entry of a new regional outfit linked to the family of lottery baron Santiago Martin, with developments indicating a widening political fault line that could reshape alliance equations.
Chief Minister N. Rangasamy recently travelled to Salem to seek guidance from his spiritual mentor before taking a final call on the alliance’s future, even as he initiated outreach to actor-turned-politician Vijay for a potential electoral understanding with Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The move comes against the backdrop of mounting unease within the alliance over the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) push to accommodate Lakshya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK), a party floated in December by Martin’s son, Jose Charles Martin.
Rangasamy is understood to be strongly opposed to the inclusion of LJK in the NDA, signalling discomfort with the growing influence of the Martin family in regional politics. He has also been pressing for clarity on Puducherry’s long-pending statehood demand, an issue he raised during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit, but which remains unresolved.
Looks like Lottery baron Santiago Martin’s family is breaking the NDA in Pondicherry.
Total family members of the Lottery family in TN-Pondi politics:
– Son-in-law Aadhav Arjuna TVK General Secretary
-Wife Leema Rose, AIADMK Women’s wing joint secretary
-Son Jose Charles Martin… pic.twitter.com/Gp3nULwXum— Siddharth Prabhakar (@Sidprabhakar7) March 19, 2026
Before taking any final call on the alliance’s future, Rangasamy quietly travelled to Salem to seek counsel from his spiritual mentor, Appa Paithiyam Swamigal – a visit that sources close to the Chief Minister say reflects the gravity of the decision he is now weighing. What makes that decision all the more significant is the other option being actively explored: Rangasamy is reportedly in contact with actor-turned-politician Vijay to explore an electoral understanding with his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam in what would be a historic pivot away from the BJP coalition. The two are said to have maintained a warm personal rapport for over two decades – a bond that Vijay himself reinforced at his December 2025 rally in Puducherry, where he invoked the history of Dravidian politics in the Union Territory and signalled a shared ambition for the region.
The Martin Family’s Many Moves
What distinguishes the ongoing political crisis in Puducherry is not merely friction within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), but the apparent rapid and coordinated manner in which lottery baron Santiago Martin’s family has established a presence across multiple political fronts simultaneously.
In Puducherry, Jose Charles Martin, following differences with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership, launched the Lakshya Jananayaga Katchi (LJK) in December 2025, projecting a governance model inspired by Singapore and positioning himself as the party’s chief ministerial face. Since its launch, LJK has expanded its organisational footprint across 25 of the Union Territory’s 30 constituencies. The party has also intensified its attacks on the incumbent government over alleged irregularities in liquor unit approvals, a move that has further strained Chief Minister N. Rangasamy’s equation with leaders associated with the Martin family.
Political developments in recent weeks have pointed to a visible shift of influence, with individuals linked to the NDA crossing over to LJK. The financial muscle behind LJK has begun visibly fracturing the NDA’s family blocs in Puducherry. In a striking case of a sitting minister’s household crossing the floor, Latha (alias Luthin), wife of BJP Cabinet Minister A. John Kumar, filed her nomination from the Nellithope constituency under the LJK banner – the same seat where her son, sitting BJP MLA Vivilian Richards Johnkumar, had won for the NDA in 2021.
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John Kumar himself, a former Congress legislator who switched to BJP ahead of the 2021 polls and was rewarded with a cabinet berth in July 2025, represents Kamaraj Nagar. The spectacle of a serving minister’s wife filing against his own party’s alliance in the constituency held by his son underscores how deeply the LJK’s resources and seat-offering strategy are testing NDA loyalties ahead of the 2026 Puducherry assembly election.
Parallel developments in Tamil Nadu have added another layer to the evolving political landscape. Aadhav Arjuna, Martin’s son-in-law, who has previously been associated with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), currently serves as General Secretary (Election Campaign Management) of actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). His position places him in a senior role within a party that Rangasamy has explored engaging with for a possible electoral understanding.
Meanwhile, Leema Rose, wife of Santiago Martin, resigned in February 2026 from her position as joint general secretary of the Indhiya Jananayaka Katchi (IJK), an NDA ally, citing lack of recognition. It is anticipated that she may align with LJK in the near future, further consolidating the family’s political presence.
These developments seem to be a part of a broader pattern in which the Martin family has transitioned from playing a financial role in electoral politics to assuming direct political participation through multiple channels. Santiago Martin’s company, Future Gaming and Hotel Services, was reported to be the largest purchaser of electoral bonds in India, contributing approximately ₹1,368 crore to various political parties, including the BJP, DMK, and AIADMK.
Earlier, former Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy had described LJK as a “B-team” of the BJP. However, current developments suggest that the political positioning of the Martin family operates independently across party lines.
Statehood, Seats, and Silence from Delhi
Alongside the LJK issue, Chief Minister Rangasamy also raised concerns over the lack of clarity on Puducherry’s statehood, a demand he reiterated during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Karaikal. He is also understood to be dissatisfied with seat-sharing arrangements within the NDA, including allocations related to Yanam, nominated MLA positions, and the Rajya Sabha seat.
In a statement issued on 18 March 2026, Rangasamy indicated that his party had conveyed its position, noted that the BJP was engaged in internal discussions, and stated that no formal communication had been received from the central leadership. He added that a decision on the alliance would be announced in due course, leaving the future of the coalition open-ended.
Senior BJP leaders from Puducherry have travelled to Delhi for consultations with the party’s central leadership, with efforts ongoing to resolve differences and maintain the alliance.
With the NDA’s internal stability under question and parallel outreach to TVK underway, the evolving situation suggests that the balance of power in Puducherry may increasingly be influenced by shifting political alignments. The Martin family’s presence across multiple parties and regions has introduced a new variable into the electoral landscape, with implications that could extend beyond a single alliance or state.
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