Ghulam Nabi Azad speaks to Chiranjeevi on Saturday

With rebellion by Chiranjeevi and his group of MLAs threatening to rock the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh, the party high command on Saturday swung into action as general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad spoke to the actor-turned-politician.

The 17-member Chiranjeevi group's support holds the key to the survival of the Congress government headed by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy as it faces voting on the no-confidence motion on the floor of the assembly on Monday.

Azad, in charge of party affairs in the state, called Chiranjeevi over phone and is understood to have promised to address the concerns of the MLAs of the erstwhile Praja Rajyam Party. PRP founded by Chiranjeevi with much fanfare later merged with Congress.

"We will take due care of all your interests. Please exercise restraint," Azad was said to have requested Chiranjeevi, sources close to the actor-turned-politician said.

Chiranjeevi and 17 MLAs owing allegiance to him are understood to be unhappy over their not getting ministerial berths despite being promised at the time of PRP's merger with Congress.