Bhubaneswar: Former bureaucrat & Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi on Sunday took to X to share glimpses from her meeting with Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Naveen Patnaik.
She was accompanied by her husband, Santosh Kumar Sarangi, who currently serves as Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Aparajita said Naveen fondly reminisced about several past events and added that their interaction, which reflected respect that transcends political boundaries, was filled with warmth and laughter. “It was heartening to note that he recalled many events of the past with great deal of fondness. We talked and laughed. Sought his Blessings. Lovely meeting , indeed !” she wrote.
Met Sri @Naveen_Odisha , Hon’ble Leader of Opposition, today .
Paid our respects and enquired about his health.
It was heartening to note that he recalled many events of the past with great deal of fondness. We talked and laughed.
Sought his Blessings.
Lovely meeting , indeed ! pic.twitter.com/F68eYNxaEs— Aparajita Sarangi, MP,( Lok Sabha) Bhubaneswar (@AprajitaSarangi) October 12, 2025
An IAS officer of 1994-batch, she served as collector of Nuapada, Koraput, and Bargarh from 1998 to 2006. She was perceived to have been quite popular during her stint as the commissioner in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation from 2006 to 2009 before leaving on central deputation to the Ministry of Rural Development. She was instrumental in handling the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), considered the world’s largest anti-poverty programme.
Aparajita took voluntary retirement from the premier service in 2018 and successfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from the Bhubaneswar constituency. She was re-elected from the seat in the 2024 election.
Naveen Patnaik served as Odisha’s chief minister for 24 years (2000-2024) before his party, the Biju Janata Dal, was defeated in the 2024 assembly election.