Hanumantha Rao has taken the stand that the central leadership should take a decision on this.

Keshava Rao is learnt to have briefed Sonia Gandhi of Sunday's incident at the party headquarters here when Jagan's supporters disrupted an official condolence meeting and raised slogans against state Congress chief D. Srinivas.

At the intervention of the central leadership, Jagan issued an appeal to his followers to halt the campaign in his favour and advised them to wait for and abide by the high command's decision.

It was also on the direction of the central leadership that all 34 ministers took oath afresh Sunday. Some ministers were reluctant to take oath to mount pressure on the party to name Jagan as the chief minister.

After Sonia Gandhi held talks with party general secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh affairs M. Veerappa Moily, Ramchandra Rao was asked to convey to the ministers that such pressure tactics would not work.

Though the high command had refused to discuss the issue of leadership till the seven-day mourning period is over Wednesday, Sunday's developments forced it to start the process of addressing the issue on priority.

Meanwhile, senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP V. Hanumantha Rao has clarified that he was not in the race for the chief minister's post. Rao told reporters in Delhi that it was not the time for demanding the post for a leader from backward classes.

Former chief minister N. Janardhan Reddy has backed Jagan's candidature for the chief minister's post. He advised the high command to consult K.V.P. Ramchandra Rao while deciding the next leader.

Former union minister and Congress Working Committee member G. Venkatswamy too wants Jagan to be made the next chief minister. 'Jagan alone can carry on the policies of his father and he should get the opportunity,' said Venkatswamy.