India BSNL not part of group for Zain buy-minister

NEW DELHI Nov 23 (Reuters) - Indian state-run telecoms firms Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL.BO) have not joined a consortium seeking to acquire Kuwait's Zain (ZAIN.KW), Junior Telecoms Minister Gurudas Kamath told parliament on Monday.

Kamath's answer was in a written reply to a question submitted in parliament.

BSNL and MTNL have been considering partnering India's little-known Vavasi Group and Malaysian billionaire Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary to take a 46 percent stake in Zain.

BSNL Chairman Kuldeep Goyal has said the firm would directly open negotiations with Zain to take the stake if the consortium's exclusive talks fell through. [ID:nDEL187286] (Reporting by C.J. Kuncheria; Editing by John Mair ((kuncheria.jacob@thomsonreuters.com; +91 11 4178 1007; Reuters Messaging: kuncheria.jacob.reuters.com@reuters.net)) ((If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com))