Vodafone and Reliance Communications, the two major suitors, are reportedly contemplating picking up stake in Hutchison Telecom International Ltd instead of buying HTIL's stake in the Indian mobile venture. This plan is apparently being considered to avoid Essar's RoFR in Hutch Essar Ltd.

"Orascom has a RoFR in HTIL and it holds a 19.3 per cent stake (in the company)," Orascom Chairman and CEO Naguib Sawiris told PTI in an e-mail reply.

With Orascom's ROFR powers in its agreement with HTIL, the situation would merely repeat itself and any bidder for Hutch Essar would have to face opposition from the existing stakeholders - whether Orascom or Essar - since both are interested in raising their own stake in the respective firms, sources close to the developments said.

Asked if Orascom was open to Vodafone or RCom acquiring shares of HTIL or whether Orascom would itself like to raise its holding, Sawiris said, "Orascom has always said that it wants to increase its stake in HTIL, at the right price!"

US daily Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that RCom and Vodafone were considering an alternate plan to acquire controlling stake in Hutch Essar, under which the suitor would pick up Hutchison Whampoa's stake in HTIL.

Such a move could give the buyer a controlling stake in Hutch-Essar through an indirect route and do away with issues related to Indian partner Essar Group's RoFR, WSJ had said.

The WSJ report had said that Vodafone and Reliance Communications were considering this plan at the request of Hutchison Whampoa itself.

Hutchison Whampoa holds a 49.8 per cent stake in HTIL. It has been scouting for buyers for HTIL's stake for several weeks, but Essar Group has been claiming RoFR for any sale and has threatened to use various means to block a deal, it added.

However, sources said both Vodafone and Reliance would prefer a direct acquisition of Hutch-Essar stake.

Such an alternate plan would not make much sense as the suitors are interested in Hutch Essar and not in the other assets of HTIL, the sources said.

Moreover, HWL is also believed to be unable to sell shares in HTIL until the end of 2007, they added.