Praful Patel elected AIFF president

Union Minister Praful Patel was formally elected president of the All India 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.

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.