Chandigarh, June 12: The death of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani in the tragic Air India plane crash near Ahmedabad on Thursday has left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and political circles in Punjab and Gujarat in shock. Rupani, who was currently serving as the BJP’s in-charge for Punjab and Chandigarh, was among the passengers on the ill-fated flight bound for London.
Rupani had been active in Punjab until just days ago, campaigning in Ludhiana West for the upcoming Assembly bypoll. “On June 2, he accompanied our candidate Jiwan Gupta for filing nomination papers. Just a few days ago, he expressed confidence that Gupta would win by a huge margin,” said Punjab BJP leader Kewal Singh Dhillon. “It’s heart-wrenching. Just the day before yesterday, he was with us—full of energy, planning the campaign. Now he’s gone. The silence he leaves behind is deafening.”
According to Dhillon, Rupani was headed to London to visit his daughter when the tragedy occurred. The news was met with an outpouring of grief from BJP leaders nationwide.
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar called it a personal loss. “Extremely saddened and heartbroken to learn that Vijay Rupani ji was on board the ill-fated Air India plane which crashed today in Ahmedabad. His contributions as Gujarat CM will be cherished forever,” Jakhar said. “Not only Gujarat has lost a great leader, but I have lost someone whose gentle and soft demeanour I found truly endearing.”
National BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh echoed that sentiment, remembering Rupani as both a political leader and a personal mentor. “He was not just a politician—for me, he was like an elder brother,” Chugh said. “His simple life, clarity of thought, and unwavering commitment to national service will continue to inspire all of us.”
Former Punjab chief minister and BJP leader Amarinder Singh also offered condolences. “Saddened by the tragic demise of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani Ji. His unwavering commitment to public service will always be remembered,” Singh said.
Rupani, who served as Gujarat’s chief minister from 2016 to 2021, had taken over the BJP’s Punjab and Chandigarh affairs in September 2022. Under his leadership, the party stepped up its political offensive against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, especially on issues related to law and order and the drug crisis.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal also paid tribute, noting, “He will always be remembered as a grassroots leader with a phenomenal record of selfless public service.”
As condolences continue to pour in, the BJP is mourning the sudden and devastating loss of one of its senior-most leaders—remembered by colleagues for his humility, discipline, and tireless dedication to the party and public life.
