Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada Mogaveera Sanyuktha Sabha has demanded the political parties to provide a ticket to a leader from the community. The community has 19 Mogaveera gram sabhas, mainly spread in three assembly constituencies, in Dakshina Kannada district.

Addressing reporters here on Wednesday, Bharath Kumar Ullal, president of the sabha, said, “No major political party has given a ticket to a leader from the Mogaveera community since 1989. The community is only seen as a vote bank. The community is known for honesty and integrity and hence we demand and request the BJP or Congress party, to field a candidate from the community," said Ullal.

Dakshina Kannada district has about 50,000 eligible voters from the Mogaveera community. Their vote, especially in Mangaluru North constituency, decides the victory of a candidate, and similarly, there is a good vote share in Mangaluru constituency as well. "Despite our larger presence in society, the community has not been given the opportunity to represent itself politically," he added. If in case the parties fail to give a ticket to a representative from the community, Ullal said that the next course of action will be decided after a meeting with the gram sabhas. “The gram sabhas strictly do not endorse on whom to vote," he said .

Ullal also demanded a permanent solution to sea erosion. Though several measures have been taken up by spending crores of rupees to stop sea erosion in Ullal, Battampady, Someshwara, and other areas, the results are not satisfactory, and houses continue to be under threat of being washed away.