Voters opting for legislator from same family for over 3

In what can be termed a rare occurrence in electoral process, voters of Neravy-TR Pattinam assembly segment in the district has been returning legislators from the same family alone for over three decades.
This time too sitting MLA VMC Sivakumar a prominent member of the 'VMC family' in Neravy region is in the fray as AIADMK candidate.
Neravy-TR Pattinam is one among the five assembly segments in Karaikal district.
In elections to the Puducherry assembly since 1977, the contest has been between members of the same family. In 1977, 1980 and 1985, the contest was between brothers. From 1990 and till 2011, the contest has been between an uncle and nephew.

In 1977, siblings of the VMC family - V.M.C. Sivakumar and V.M.C Varadhapillai locked horns for the first time. While Sivakumar contested as DMK candidate, Varadhapillai opposed him as Janata Party candidate and came out successful.
In the next elections,Sivakumar defeated Vadaradhapillai who contested as AIADMK candidate while in 1985, the latter defeated Sivakumar.

After Varadhapillai passed away, his son VMCV Ganapathy entered politics and contested against his uncle and defeated him in the 1990 and 91 elections. However, in 1996, Ganapathy was not in the fray and Sivakumar (DMK) defeated an independent Dravidamani.
In 2001, Ganapathy contested as Tamil Maanila Congress candidate and Sivakumar as DMK nominee. Sivakumar came out successful.In the 2006 polls, Sivakumar defeated Ganapathy who contested as an independent.

In 2011, DMK denied ticket to Sivakumar and he entered the race as an independent. Ganapathy too contested as an independent. Sivakumar emerged triumphant.
Sivakumar has served as Agriculture Minister once and as the Speaker of Pondicherry Assembly between 1996-2000.
Last month, Sivakumar joined AIADMK. Ganapathy is not contesting this time. In a multi-cornerned contest, Sivakumar is taking on main contestants--DMK's Geetha Ananadan, AINRC's Udhayakumar, BJP's Kumaravelu, PMK's Chelladurai and CPI(M)'s Mohammed Thameem Ansari.
Neravy-TR Pattinam is the only constituency in Karaikal region where the Congress has not won since 1977.
One has to wait and see if the hegemony of VMC Family will continue uninterrupted.