"I have been chief minister for last 11 years. During the period, I have spent many nights in Maoist-hit districts. I will do so in future also," Patnaik told reporters here.
Asked whether chief ministers spending nights in Maoist-hit areas as suggested by Chidambaram would help in bringing change in the situation, Patnaik retorted, "Go and ask him (Chidambaram)."
Patnaik who has been chief minister since March 2000, has spent nights during election time and other occasions in Koraput, Sambalpur and Rayagada districts, known as the most affected districts in the state.
A senior police officer said Chidambaram too had spent a night in Koraput. "But we do not see any change in the situation," he said.
"A solution to the vexed Maoist problem lies somewhere else. It cannot be solved by the Chief Minister or any other minister spending nights in red corridors," a former director general of Orissa Police said.