V.P. Ramchandra Rao entered the hall and made an emotional appeal to Jagan's supporters to remain calm. He broke down while recalling his association with the late leader.

'If you want his soul to rest in peace, please be calm,' he appealed with folded hands.

He told them that Congress president Sonia Gandhi would hear their voice while taking a decision.

Though order was restored for some time, the meeting did not resume as all the leaders had left the party headquarters.

Srinivas, Jaipal Reddy and Rosaiah are being seen as contenders for the chief minister's post.

YSR, his special secretary, chief security officer and two pilots were killed when the helicopter carrying them from Hyderabad to Chittoor crashed in bad weather in Nallamalla forests in Kurnool district Wednesday morning. The charred bodies and the wreckage of the chopper were found the next day after one of the biggest search operations by Indian Air Force helicopters.