In November 2020, ahead of the byelections to Basavakalyan and Maski Assembly constituencies and Belagavi Lok Sabha seat that were scheduled for April 17, 2021, the then Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa made a few strategic announcements – the formation of Maratha Development Corporation and Veerashaiva-Lingayat Development Corporation. The move was widely seen as an effort to attract Maratha and Lingayat votes, which formed a sizable chunk in Belagavi and Basavakalyan segments.
Laying the foundation stone to the New Anubhava Mantapa at Basavakalyan in January 2021 was his next move to consolidate the dominant Lingayats. The hurriedness he showed in laying the foundation stone had raised many eyebrows. For, there was neither a detailed project report nor was there any budgetary allocation for it. A partial budgetary allocation of ₹200 crore was made later in March 2021.
The plans did work. BJP won both Belagavi and Basavakalyan with impressive margins. The promised New Anubhava Mantapa, however, remained a distant dream. In the past 15 months after laying the foundation stone, the project has seen little progress except for getting ₹200 crore and lands for the project.
