Mumbai/Kolkata: Federation Cup winners Bengaluru FC submitted the bid papers to become a new team in the Indian Super League even as heavyweights Mohun Bagan and East Bengal refuged to budge on their demands on Thursday. The 'Invitation To Bid' tender process for inclusion of new teams in the ISL came to a close today.
Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) appointed external validator will go through the bids evaluation procedurals over the coming week.
FSDL – a joint venture between IMG, Star India and Reliance – plans to add one to three new teams in the Indian Super League in its fourth edition to be staged in year 2017- 18.
A source close to the league confirmed that BFC submitted its bid on the last day. The former I-League-winning club had picked up the 'Invitation To Bid' papers on May 12.
ISL was established in India in 2014 under the sanction of the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Bids were invited from prospective team owners from 10 cities - Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Cuttack, Durgapur, Hyderabad, Jamshedpur, Kolkata, Ranchi, Siliguri and Thiruvananthapuram.
Refusing to budge from their three-point demands, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal said they are waiting for a response from the AIFF and did not submit the bid document for their induction into the ISL.
"We (Mohun Bagan and East Bengal) have not submitted the bid document. We are waiting for the AIFF's response. We are not wilting under any pressure tactics," Mohun Bagan general secretary Anjan Mitra said.
The Big two clubs will meet with the state body, Indian Football Association on May 27 to decide the way forward.
The deadline for submitting the bid document was today but Mitra said it did not matter to them.
"The Indian constitution has been amended many times after its formation, and similarly here, the dates for a private organisation can also be changed," he said.
The two clubs' main demand is the waiver of franchise fee of Rs 15 crore and apart from this they have asked for money of the central pool and would like to play the tournament in Kolkata.
Their demands have got a big boost with the support of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee who has asked them to wait for the AIFF's response.
(With PTI inputs)
