MUMBAI: In the bidding race for the buyout of IPL franchise Deccan Chargers, there will be a surprise contender. Mumbai-based RN Sports Club, which had expressed intent to buy the franchise outright, has been told by Deccan Chronicle chairman T. Venkattram Reddy to bid for it.

Reddy today met with two executives of RN Sports Club. "While we wanted to buy the franchise outright, Reddy told us to go through the bidding route," the Club?s spokesperson Deepika Sood told Indiantelevision.com.

As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, RN Sports is willing to pay Rs 9-11 billion. Backed by a celebrity and a businessman, it was ready to buy outside the bidding process. Interestingly, Bollywood star Salman Khan?s name has also cropped up in the list of possible bidders.

Earlier, Videocon CMD Venugopal Dhoot had told Indiantelevision that his company would bid around Rs 7 billion. Other names doing the rounds who could bid for the franchise include Adani Group and former Satyam COO Srini Raju who is now Peepul Capital co-founder, chairman.

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RN Sports Club willing to buy Deccan Chargers for Rs 11 bn