Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among 241 people killed when Air India flight AI171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, plunging into the residential Meghani Nagar area.
His death was confirmed by Gujarat BJP President C R Paatil. Reports said Vijay Rupani was on seat number 2D of the flight. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner went down minutes after departure, marking the first fatal crash involving the aircraft type since its introduction in 2011.
Rupani, 68, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, had served as Gujarat's 16th Chief Minister from August 2016, to September 2021. He represented the Rajkot West constituency in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly.
The veteran politician succeeded Anandiben Patel as Chief Minister and was re-elected from Rajkot West in the 2017 Gujarat Legislative Assembly elections. He resigned in September 2021 and was succeeded by Bhupendra Patel.
Before becoming Chief Minister, Rupani held key ministerial positions in the Gujarat government under Anandiben Patel. From November 2014 to August 2016, he served as Minister of Transport, Labour & Employment, and Water Supply.
A Rajya Sabha member from July 2006 to July 2012, Rupani also served as President of the BJP's Gujarat unit from February to August 2016.
He held the position of General Secretary of Gujarat BJP four times and served as Chairman of the Gujarat Municipal Finance Board in 2013 during Narendra Modi's tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister.