In a devastating tragedy, senior BJP leader and former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was confirmed among the victims of the Air India flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday. He was 68 years old and was travelling to the UK to meet his daughter, seated in 2D on the ill-fated Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
The London-bound Air India flight, carrying 242 people, including 169 Indian, 53 British, 1 Canadian, and 7 Portuguese nationals, crashed minutes after takeoff, slamming into a civilian area near Meghani Nagar around 1:40 p.m., shortly after departure from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
BJP, Centre Mourn Loss of Veteran Gujarat Leader
Union Minister and Gujarat BJP president CR Patil confirmed the death of Vijay Rupani, stating, “Our leader and former Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani, was going to meet his family. He is also a victim in this incident. May his soul rest in peace. This is a big loss for the BJP.”
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu expressed deep sorrow and said a fair and thorough investigation will be conducted into the cause of the crash. “Very sad to know that Vijay Rupani was also there, as were other nationals,” he said.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief: “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words.”
Political Legacy and Personal Life
Vijay Rupani, who served as the 16th Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2016 to 2021, led the state through a critical post-Covid recovery phase. His tenure saw the launch of the Gujarat Industrial Policy 2020 and significant strides in tribal upliftment initiatives. Although he stepped down in 2021 to make way for Bhupendra Patel, Rupani remained an active force in party affairs and public service.
He began his political journey in 1987 as a municipal corporator in Rajkot and climbed steadily through the BJP ranks. Rupani is survived by his wife, Anjali Rupani, a social worker, and their son.
Crash Investigation Underway
Authorities have recovered the black box of the aircraft, which will play a key role in identifying the cause of the crash. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, considered one of the most advanced and safest commercial aircraft, had no known history of fatal crashes until this incident.
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According to officials, the plane issued a mayday call just before it lost altitude and crashed, sparking a massive fire and panic in the surrounding area.
This crash adds to India’s history of tragic aviation disasters, including the Kozhikode crash in 2020 and Mangaluru crash in 2010, which collectively claimed hundreds of lives.
