Mumbai: Private equity firms Texas Pacific Group and Apax Partners are close to buying some of the founders'' stake in India''s Patni Computer Systems Ltd, newspaper reports said, citing unnamed sources.

Earlier reports have said the Patni brothers - Gajendra and Ashok - of the three brothers who founded the software services firm, are looking to sell their stake. Their holding in the company totals about 29 per cent. (See: ''No clue about brothers'' Patni stake sale plans'' : Narendra Patni)

The agreement between one of the private equity partners and the Patni brothers is likely to be signed next month, the report said.

New York-listed Patni, has General Electric Co and ABN AMRO among its clients.

Chairman and chief executive Narendra Patni, who holds about 15 per cent of the company, will buy out a part of the stake on offer while the private equity firms will pick up the remaining, the report said.