WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. William Jefferson, the Louisiana Democrat who won a runoff election Saturday despite being dogged by bribery allegations, will seek re-instatement to the powerful House Ways and Means committee, Rep. Mel Watt, D-North Carolina, told CNN Monday.

Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, D-California, led a successful effort last spring to strip Jefferson from the committee after the bribery allegations surfaced and justice department officials discovered $90,000 in his freezer.

Watt said Jefferson's decision to seek reinstatement is understandable considering the number of years Jefferson served on the committee.

"Logically that would be the committee that he'd be on," he said.

But according to one Democratic leadership aide it's "very unlikely" he'll get his seat back.

Another Democratic leadership aide told CNN the situation was definitely "awkward" and "in this climate it would be really difficult to put him back on."

Pelosi's position is that Jefferson should not be allowed to keep his seat until the FBI investigation into the bribery allegations is resolved, the Democratic aide said.

The Steering committee is scheduled to meet this week to decide committee assignments on the three most powerful committees, including Ways and Means.