Tiger Associates donated Rs 260 crore to DMK and AIADMK

Tiger Associates, a Kolkata-based lottery firm, donated Rs 260 crore to Tamil Nadu’s primary political rivals, the DMK and AIADMK, during the 2025-26 financial year. According to disclosures submitted to the Election Commission, this amount more than doubled the firm's contributions from the previous year.

The donations represent a significant concentration of political funding. Tiger Associates provided Rs 135 crore to the AIADMK and Rs 125 crore to the DMK. For the AIADMK, these transfers accounted for approximately 84% of its total reported contributions of Rs 161.36 crore. For the DMK, the amount represented over 65% of its total reported contributions of Rs 191.19 crore.

The firm’s designated partner, Subbayan Nagarajan, is a longtime associate of lottery businessman Santiago Martin. While Tiger Associates and Martin’s other firm, Future Gaming and Hotel Services, are separate entities, Martin’s company was previously noted as a major purchaser of electoral bonds before the scheme was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2024.