New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) The tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad claimed the life of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, leaving the political fraternity in shock. The flight, en route to London from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, had 242 passengers and crew members on board when it crashed, killing all but one person on the ill-fated aircraft.

Vijay Rupani, a stalwart of Gujarat politics, began his political journey as a corporator in the Rajkot Municipal Corporation in 1987. From humble beginnings, he steadily rose through the ranks — serving as Mayor of Rajkot, a Rajya Sabha MP, President of the Gujarat BJP, Cabinet Minister, eventually becoming the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2016.

Beyond his political journey, the late Rupani shared a profound and long-standing association with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, rooted in their early efforts to strengthen the BJP in Gujarat.

‘Modi Story,’ a popular social media handle on X, posted a clip of Rupani recalling their deep camaraderie and political journey.

The caption read: “Vijay Rupani shared a deep and long-standing bond with PM Narendra Modi. Their association goes back to the early days of strengthening the Gujarat BJP together. Later, when Modi ji became Chief Minister, they continued shaping a new Gujarat together. Rupani ji made a significant contribution during his own tenure as CM.”

In the video, Rupani fondly recalled the time when Narendra Modi contested his first election from the Rajkot constituency.

“The entire responsibility of managing that election fell on me. I oversaw every detail,” he recalled in the video.

“It was Narendra Bhai’s first election. Amit Bhai (Union Home Minister Amit Shah) also came to Rajkot and stayed for a month to work alongside me. We managed everything together.”

He shared a telling anecdote about PM Narendra Modi’s meticulous nature.

“Every day, Modi ji would call us from Gandhinagar, asking about even the smallest details. I once told Amit Bhai, ‘Why is he stressing over such small things?’ And Amit Bhai replied with a beautiful analogy: ‘When a tailor is preparing for his own wedding, he stitches his own coat and checks every single stitch. Modi ji has helped so many others contest elections. Now, for the first time, the tailor is getting married — he’s contesting himself. Naturally, every detail matters to him.’”

Rupani emphasised how Narendra Modi’s involvement, even in the minutiae, shaped their approach to election strategy.

“He guided us with those crucial details. We just executed.”

On June 13, Prime Minister Modi met with Vijay Rupani’s family to offer his condolences over the demise of the leader.

He later posted on X: “Met the family of Shri Vijaybhai Rupani Ji. It is unimaginable that Vijaybhai is not in our midst. I’ve known him for decades — we worked shoulder to shoulder, even during the most challenging times. He was humble, hard-working, and deeply committed to the party’s ideology.”

Rupani’s passing marks the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy of dedication, loyalty, and unwavering service to Gujarat and the nation.

–IANS

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