Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), July 11, 2025 (ANI): On Lok Sabha LOP & Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi’s statement, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi said, "When I think of Rahul Gandhi's visit to Odisha, three expressions come to my mind- accidental politician, seasonal politician and a political tourist. The question today is - how much does Rahul Gandhi ji know about Odisha? Odisha, with a population of 4.5 crore, has been governed by the BJP for the past year, and we are doing good work. PM had also come to Odisha and spoke about the work this government has done in the past year. Suddenly, after many months, Rahul Gandhi ji comes to Odisha and talks about nothing being done here and women not being safe in the state. Before BJD, Congress was ruling the state. ...I don't think there is any relevance to his statements. He wants to remain politically relevant in terms of Odisha and Bihar."
00:00When I think of Rahul Gandhi's visit to Orissa, three expressions come to my mind.
00:06I will qualify him as accidental politician, seasonal politician and a political tourist.
00:17How much does Rahul Gandhiji know about Orissa? That's the question today.
00:22Orissa, with 4.5 crore population, is being governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party for the past one year.
00:34We are finding our feet and we are doing good works.
00:39And in fact, very recently, Prime Minister Sahab had come and he also talked about the different kinds of works
00:45that have been done by the Orissa government in the past one year.
00:48And today, suddenly, after many months, Rahul Gandhiji comes to Orissa and talks about nothing being done here,
00:57women not being safe here, and then he lambasts the prison government.
01:02Now, I must tell you that we are there for only one year.
01:07For 25 years before the Bharatiya Janata Party, Biju Janata Dal was ruling the state.
01:13And before that, for many, many years, the Congress was ruling the state of Orissa.
01:17So, I don't think the general knowledge of Rahul Gandhi pertaining to Orissa is adequate enough.
01:25So, once in a while, he'll come to Orissa and he will make all these statements.
01:29I don't think there is any relevance of these statements.
01:32He just wants to remain politically relevant in terms of Orissa, in terms of Bihar.
01:38And that is why he has been issuing these kinds of statements.
01:41Now, let me tell you that there are, as we know, there are 28 states and 8 union territories.
01:48NDA currently has its government in 19 states and 2 union territories.
01:55And, you know, people don't vote for Prime Minister Modi or the Bharatiya Janata Party just like that.
02:00They are very much impressed with the governance, with the working style of Prime Minister Modi.
02:06And we enjoy the credibility of people because of the works that have been done by Prime Minister Modi's government in the last 10 years.
02:14And I'm very, very sure, very confident and I'm convinced that in the days to come, one year has passed, in the days to come, in Orissa also will be doing very good works.
02:24So, I think Rahul Gandhi, before making such statements in Orissa, should actually see whether he actually understands Orissa, knows the people of Orissa adequately.
