The Crossbill News Desk
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among those killed when a London-bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed near Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport shortly after take-off on Thursday (June 12) morning.
The crash site, located in Meghani Nagar, also impacted the hostel of B.J. Medical College, leading to casualties among students and leaving several injured.
Union Minister and Gujarat BJP president C.R. Patil confirmed Rupani’s death while addressing the media.
“Our leader and former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was on his way to meet his family. He also lost his life in this tragic incident. This is a big loss to the BJP. May his soul rest in peace,” said Patil.
Rupani, who served as Gujarat’s Chief Minister from 2016 to 2021, was elevated to the top post after the resignation of Anandiben Patel. At the time, he was serving as the state BJP president. Notably, he was the only leader after Prime Minister Narendra Modi to serve more than five years as the state’s chief minister.
In 2021, he was succeeded by Bhupendra Patel. Later, in 2022, he was appointed as the BJP’s in-charge for Punjab. Earlier in his political career, Rupani also served as a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat between 2006 and 2012.
Condolences poured in from across the political spectrum. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his grief on social media, calling Rupani a “grassroots leader who devoted his life for the development & welfare of his state.”
Tributes were also paid by opposition leaders including Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule, and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, who all acknowledged Rupani’s contributions to Gujarat’s political landscape.
As rescue operations continued at the crash site, authorities confirmed that multiple lives were lost, and several others, including students from the college hostel, sustained serious injuries.
Further investigation into the cause of the crash is underway.
The crash site, located in Meghani Nagar, also impacted the hostel of B.J. Medical College, leading to casualties among students and leaving several injured.
Union Minister and Gujarat BJP president C.R. Patil confirmed Rupani’s death while addressing the media.
“Our leader and former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was on his way to meet his family. He also lost his life in this tragic incident. This is a big loss to the BJP. May his soul rest in peace,” said Patil.
Rupani, who served as Gujarat’s Chief Minister from 2016 to 2021, was elevated to the top post after the resignation of Anandiben Patel. At the time, he was serving as the state BJP president. Notably, he was the only leader after Prime Minister Narendra Modi to serve more than five years as the state’s chief minister.
In 2021, he was succeeded by Bhupendra Patel. Later, in 2022, he was appointed as the BJP’s in-charge for Punjab. Earlier in his political career, Rupani also served as a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat between 2006 and 2012.
Condolences poured in from across the political spectrum. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his grief on social media, calling Rupani a “grassroots leader who devoted his life for the development & welfare of his state.”
Tributes were also paid by opposition leaders including Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule, and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, who all acknowledged Rupani’s contributions to Gujarat’s political landscape.
As rescue operations continued at the crash site, authorities confirmed that multiple lives were lost, and several others, including students from the college hostel, sustained serious injuries.
Further investigation into the cause of the crash is underway.
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