NEW DELHI, November 4: In a significant development today during the trial of JMM case, Shailendra Mahto, accused turned approver, maintained that the Congress president Sitaram Kesri had known of former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao's offer of money to the four MP's in exchange for their support during the no-confidence motion.

The first prosecution witness to depose before the court, Mahato was examined by CBI counsel, AK Dutt for over an hour-and-a-half. Testifying before the court of CBI Special judge, Ajit Bharihoke, Mahato said that when the Congress government of P V Narasimha Rao was facing a no-confidence motion during the monsoon session of the Lok Sabha in July 26 1993, the four JMM MP's _ Shailendra Mahato, Shibu Soren, Suraj Mandal and Simon Marandi, were approached by Ajit Singh (Janata Dal) and that Satish Sharma, the then Petroleum Minister had contacted Simon Marandi, on the issue of support in the no-confidence motion. Marandi reportedly told Mahato that Satish Sharma had offered them cash and a petrol pump each, if they would support the government.

Shailendra Mahato testified that on July 26, they were introduced to Congress Rajya Sabha MP, V Rajeshwar Rao in Andhra Bhavan, by another Congress MP, Ashok Rai Deshmukh who had, a day earlier, asked them for support in the no confidence motion. Rao and Mandal had a private conversation after which, Mandal told the other three JMM MP's that V R Rao was offering too meager an amount and suggested to them that they should talk to the PM.

Mahato told the court that on the same evening, the four MP's were introduced to the PM at his house by Buta Singh. During the meeting with the PM also Suraj mandal stressed that till the issue of the Jharkhand Council was resolved, the JMM MP's could not support the Congress government Continued on page 7th¬Ut›@>¼Tt›single leader of stature in the Congress around whom a breakaway group can coalesce. There are several disgruntled factions, all of whom are looking for other options but the BJP has not been able to find a Naresh Aggarwal in the Congress Parliamentary Party yet.However, the BJP has certainly succeeded in setting the cat among the pigeons. The initial feelers to the party came from Congress MPs like Matang Singh and Suresh Kalmadi, neither of whom are in a position to lead a split.ewhe¬Ut›D<¬Ut›was also holding meetings with representatives of Congress factions opposed to him. He held a 20-minute meeting with party MP AR Antulay, who was the chief spokesperson for Sharad Pawar in his contest against Kesri for the party president's post during the no--nfidence motion.

According to Mahato, Mandal had told him and the other MP's later on that in the course of a private conversation he had with Rao that evening, an offer of money had been made, but that the exact sum of money had not been specified.

Mahato told the court that Sitaram Kesri had met the four MP's in the Central Hall of parliament on July 28 where he recalled his acquaintance with Shibu Soren and Suraj Mandal. ``I have known you two for twenty years. The government is having problems and each vote is worth a lot to us.'' He told the four MP's that Rao's promises to the four MP's would be fulfilled if they supported the government.

Later Mandal asked his three fellow MP's to vote for the Congress. On July 28, the no-confidence motion was defeated.

On July 29, Mahato went to Suraj mandal's house where he met V Rajeshwar Rao who told them that each of the four MP's would be paid Rs. 50 Lakh.