He said he was pained to know that the party leaders and workers were rushing to the media, organising signature campaigns, using banners and placards and staging demonstrations to put pressure on the party central leadership to make him the chief minister.

'Every Congress worker knows it is the tradition of our party to leave the decision of leadership to the high command and our beloved leader Sonia Gandhiji. Our high command and Sonia Gandhiji know to respect the public perception and feelings of lakhs of Congress workers, and she knows too well what is good for all of us and what is good for our state and people.,' Jaganmohan said.

'I request you to await her decision on the issue of leadership and also urge you to abide by the decision.'

Jagan expressed hope that the Congress president will take a decision 'in a way that Dr (Y.S.) Rajasekhara Reddy's ideals, mission and zeal would not be compromised in any manner.'

'Moily met Gandhi around 11.30 a.m. Sunday. The party high command is closely watching the developments in the state unit of the party,' a senior Congress leader from Andhra Pradesh told IANS over phone.

The party's central leadership, which had said that the decision on the successor to YSR -- as he was popularly known -- would be taken after the seven-day state mourning for him, was unhappy over the pressure tactics being adopted by a section in the party, the leader said.

'The party is looking for a leader from the Reddy community for the chief minister's post as the number of legislators from the Reddy community is very high,' the source said.