BJD elects Patnaik president for fifth time

Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal Monday elected Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik its president for the fifth time in a row.

Patnaik was the only candidate to have filed nomination papers for the post. "He was elected unopposed," the party's returning officer and government chief whip Prabhat Tripathy told reporters.

The BJD was founded by Naveen Patnaik after the death of his father Biju Patnaik in 1997. The organisational elections of the party are held every three years.