Panaji, Aug 30 (IANS): Goa's beleaguered Congress president John Fernandes will continue in his chair at least for now, AICC secretary in charge of Goa, A. Chella Kumar said Friday.

Speaking to IANS, All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Kumar said discussions within the party high command were still on about the issue of leadership in Goa, even as a section of the local media have tipped Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and former chief minister Luizinho Faleiro for the post.

"Till now, John Fernandes is PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) president," he said, rejecting reports in a local English daily which said Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi had sacked Fernandes Saturday and that Faleiro was appointed his successor.

Fernandes, appointed state chief in December last year, has been accused of triggering in-fighting within the party's senior leadership.

Fernandes, however, claims the brief given to him by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was to cull corrupt leaders from the party and enforce discipline.

Commenting on the flurry of reportage hinting at a leadership change at the local level, Kumar said the high command was aware of all that was happening in Goa. "We are discussing all these things," he said.