When the inaugural edition of the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) the states adaptation of the moneyspinning IPL rolls in September,sitting in the team owners box could well be a reclusive gentleman once accused of links to Dawood Ibrahim,and who later claimed to have helped Indian spooks hunt the D-gang in Dubai. Representatives of reformed underworld don Muthappa Rai were among the 31 prospective buyers who picked up bid forms for the eight teams in the tournament from the office of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) chief and erstwhile Mysore royal Srikantadatta Wodeyar today. Rai,who lives in a heavily fortified home on the outskirts of Bangalore,is rarely seen in public,and never without an army of personal securitymen. He claims to be a social worker and is known to settle land disputes in the city. He was at one time linked to the D-Company,and extradited to India in 2002. In 2007,he was exonerated in all cases,including charges of murder. Rai is widely expected to enter politics,and has floated an organization called Jaya Karnataka that has hundreds of cadres who claim to fight for the Kannada cause. He is reportedly keen on owning one of the KPL franchises,and naming it Jaya Karnataka Jawans. Besides Rai,a jumble of Kannada filmstars,politicians,real estate barons,brewers and educationists are in the fray. It is learnt that actor-turned-politician M H Ambareesh minister of state in the first UPA government and an old friend of Wodeyars from the races is among them. Kannada stars Ramya and Sudeep are also rumoured to be interested,though their names werent among those being discussed at the KSCA today. We are bidding for three teams Bangalore,Shimoga and Belgaum. We see it as a great opportunity for branding our business, said S V Naresh Kumar,managing director of real estate firm Fortuna Projects. Another friend of Wodeyars,owner of the Bangalore IPL team Vijay Mallya,is not interested in buying a team in the KPL. A rival local brewery,has,however,thrown its hat in the ring. We are at 31 prospective owners and counting. This is purely intended as a shot in the arm for Karnataka cricket, said Carlton Saldanha,a former cricketer for Karnataka who is one of the KPLs chief organizers. The KSCA president said the response to team ownership had been very good. The first edition of the KPL will be played in Bangalore from September 12-27. The teams,to be named after eight zones in the state,will be up for bids starting Rs 20 lakh on August 3. The first pool of the 40 cricketers will go under the hammer on August 8. Each team can have three players from outside Karnataka,but must have two players from the local zone. No foreign players are allowed.
