Praful Patel elected AIFF president

Union Minister Praful Patel [ Images ] was formally elected president of the All India [ Images ] Football Federation on Tuesday, thus bringing down curtains on ailing Priyan Ranjan Dasmunsi's 20-year reign at the helm.

Patel, the Civil Aviation minister in the UPA government, was elected unopposed at the Annual General Meeting of the AIFF at its headquarters in Delhi [ Images ].

Patel was working as acting president of the AIFF since Dasmunsi suffered cardiac arrest last October.

"I really thank everyone for the support that you have offered to me and I hope we all will work together for the uplift and development of the game in the country," Patel said in a statement, issued by the AIFF.

Dasmunsi was AIFF president since 1988 before the heart-attack rendered him bed-ridden.

The AGM also decided to appointed Dasmunsi as honorary president.

At the AGM, national coach Bob Houghton also presented a plan for development of the senior team in preparation for various tournaments, including the AFC Asian Cup 2011.