Former CM of Gujarat Vijay Rupani dies in Ahmedabad air crash

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was on an Air India flight to visit his daughter in London, has been confirmed dead. The Air India flight AI 171, operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday.

Gujarat BJP chief CR Patil confirmed Rupani died in the accident. Rupani was a politician who served as the 16th chief minister of Gujarat from August 2016 to September 2021.

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Born on August 2, 1956, in Rangoon, he was a prominent leader of the BJP.

During his political career, which spanned several decades, he held various key positions, including that of mayor of Rajkot (1996–1997), Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha (2006–2012), and Gujarat state cabinet minister overseeing portfolios such as transport, labour, and water supply.

The BJP had also appointed him as the party’s Central observer for the Maharashtra elections.