Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, who served between 2016 and 2021, was among the passengers on the ill-fated London-bound Dreamliner that went down minutes after take-off from Ahmedabad. Rupani’s demise marks the second time a former Gujarat CM has died in a plane crash, six decades after Balwantrai Mehta’s fatal air accident in 1965.
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was on the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad, has died, BJP’s state president CR Patil said. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft bound for London crashed five minutes after taking-off near Ahmedabad airport.
Patil called the plane crash a “tragic incident” and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives.
“Former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has passed away. The BJP family is deeply saddened,” Patil told reporters in Mehsana, mourning the death of the BJP leader.”May God grant peace to all the departed souls, and give strength and peace to the families of the deceased.”
“May the souls of those who died in the crash rest in peace,” he added.
Rupani served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat from August 2016 to September 2021, before resigning ahead of the 2022 state elections.
Vijay Rupani is the second politician who served as the Gujarat CM who died in an air accident, sixty years after Balwantrai Mehta’s death in a 1965 plane crash.
BJP MP Sambit Patra called the demise of Rupani “extremely painful and deeply shocking”.
“His passing is an irreparable loss not just for Gujarat, but for Indian politics as a whole. May Lord Jagannath grant the departed soul a place at His divine feet and give strength and courage to the bereaved family members and supporters in this difficult time. Om Shanti,” Patra wrote on X.
BJP’s Punjab President Sunil Jakhar said Rupani was a real “gentleman politician”, whose demise he said, was a personal loss for himself too
“I found his gentle and soft demeanour so endearing. His sagacity and simplicity in public life will be missed. RIP Rupani ji,” Jakhar wrote on X.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh expressed condolences to Rupani’s family and loved ones.
“Saddened by the tragic demise of former Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Vijay Rupani Ji in the unfortunate plane crash near Ahmedabad. His unwavering commitment to public service will always be remembered. My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones at this moment of grief,” Singh wrote on X.
Vijay Ramniklal Rupani was the 12th passenger on the flight’s manifest. He was booked in the Z class, which falls under the Business Class category, according to the passenger list document accessed by India Today.
