Aparajita Sarangi, a BJP MP running for re-election from the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat, challenged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to a discussion on her role in the growth of the state capital of Odisha on Tuesday. In response to a recent video statement released by Patnaik, Sarangi made this comment while urging support for BJD candidate Manmath Routray in Bhubaneswar.

Per a PTI report, Without revealing her identity, the chief minister said in the film that she had tried to halt the Lingaraj temple renovation project and the Ekamra Heritage Project. In addition, the BJD chief asserted that she had accomplished nothing noteworthy in her five years in office. Reacting to Patnaik's remarks, Sarangi said she was shocked to see a "respectable chief minister of 24 years targeting a first-time MP without verifying the facts".