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The Congress high command is all set to bring down curtains on the power transition issue after sending clear indications on Sunday that the choice for a long term successor in the state has been narrowed down to the issue of popularity versus seniority.Though none of the statements emanating from Delhi was official in nature, highly-placed sources within the AICC indicated that the high command was actively taking this line of argument by looking at a candidate's potential to lead the party to victory in all elections (including rural and urban local bodies) and at the same time run the administration with equal vigour."The party high command wants to assert itself at this hour of crisis as it could never do it in the past ten years because of YSR and his style of functioning. Though YSR deserves full credit for the party's reversal of fortunes in the past two elections despite a strong opposition, the high command wants to use the situation to send a message to all Congress leaders across the country that performance alone cannot be a measure and loyalty to the party and high command would be the single most important thing," the sources said.A senior Congress MP who did not want to be identified said the party high command was in fact surprised at the popularity of YSR. "The high command always had a soft corner for YSR, but never thought YSR was so popular. His untimely death made him even more popular. Now they want to regain the lost grip over state politics by installing a person who not only dances to their wishes, but also bluntly keeps the party in the forefront of all political activity," the MP said.The sources said that the party leadership had made it abundantly clear to political advisor K V P Ramachandra Rao yet again on Sunday that henceforth the high command would have a major say in issues of governance and power will not be vested in an individual like YSR. "That the Congress party will have a say in running the government has been made abundantly clear to KVP during his interaction with the AICC functionaries. The YSR style of functioning will not be encouraged and the party is supreme and not an individual," an AICC source said.The sources said though AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi was keen on promoting young leaders in the country, the party high command wanted to make it certain, through proper checks and balances, that the Congress party's agenda always remained on top.With Union minister S Jaipal Reddy backing out of the race and PCC president D Srinivas and Rajya Sabha MP K Keshav Rao falling under their own weight, the political stalemate within the Congress is sure to end once chief minister K Rosaiah meets AICC chief Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday.