Live: YSR Cong adds Nellore Lok Sabha seat to AP by-poll triumph

3.55pm: In addition to their resounding victory of 15 of the 18 seats that held by-polls, the YSR Congress has cemented their dominance by also winning the Nellore Lok Sabha seat. The party’s candidate Mekapati Rajmohan Reddy won by a massive margin of 291,745 votes over his nearest rival and former central minister T Subbarami Reddy of the Congress party. 3.23pm: In what can only be called absolute decimation, Jagan Reddy’s YSR Congress has taken 15 of the 18 seats that went to polls today. The Congress has only managed to win two seats. It fared poorly in 16 others, coming in at third in ten seats, ranking fifth in one and getting its deposits forfeited in five other seats. However the Congress is putting on a brave face. Its leader Vyalar Ravi told reporters in Hyderabad that “election results are on expected lines. there is no danger to the state government”. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), meanwhile won the seat of Parakal. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) won none. 2.15pm: The YSR Congress has stretched its lead in the Nellore Lok Sabha seat to 1,24,000 votes and looks set for a decisive victory. As results started pouring in, Jagan’s mother reached the Chanchalguda prison, where he is currently lodged after being arrested in connection with a disproportionate assets case, to congratulate him. YSR Congress workers burst crackers, shouted slogans and carried party flags in celebration outside the jail. Jagan’s sister Sharmila who was a significant factor in the YSR Congress’ win said, “Jagan is very happy. He was expecting to win all 18… This proves that vindictive politics does not work and it is a lesson for both the TDP and the Congress.” She added that she thought Jagan could become Chief Minister of the state by 2014. 1.37pm: The latest reports coming in have indicated that the YSR Congress has won 13 seats in the Andhra Pradesh by-polls. It is leading in two more. Meanwhile, its candidate Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy was leading in the Lok Sabha seat of Nellore, ahead by more than 50,000 votes. The Congress has, so far, won one seat, Narsapuram. The others - the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) - are leading in one seat each. The YSR Congress has grabbed Polavaram, Pratipadu, Macherla, Yemmiganur, Allagada, Rajampet, Rayachoti and Railway Kodur. Meanwhile YSR Congress spokesperson Ambati Rambabu said the Congress must resign and go for mid-term polls. “The Congress party is not getting even one seat. The Congress should resign and go for mid term polls.” 1.05pm: The YSR Congress has won two more seats in the AP by-polls. Its candidate Dharmana Krishna Das wins the Narsannapet constituency by a margin of 7000 votes and M Chandrasekhar Reddy wins the Udayagiri seat. As results stand right now, the YSR Congress has won eight assembly seats and is leading in seven other assembly segments as well as the Nellore Lok Sabha constituency. The ruling Congress party has won just one seat and was leading in another constituency. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) was ahead in Parakala, the only assembly constituency in Telangana that went to polls. 12.35pm: The Deccan Chronicle reports that YSR Congress leader Rahman has been taken into custody for firing six rounds to celebrate his party performance. The Chronicle report adds that Rahman is likely to be suspended. Meanwhile there also seems to be a gathering of YSR Congress leaders at the Chanchalguda prison where party leader Jagan Reddy is currently lodged. Police are reportedly rounding them off. 12.25pm: Jagan Reddy’s family has gone to visit him in jail, on the back of the tremendous performance of his YSR Congress party in the AP by-polls. Meanwhile Congress state MLA’s have begin arriving at Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy’s residence for a meeting. Political analysts say that the Congress is stunned, because they never expected to perform quite this badly in the by-polls. 12.16pm: A quick recap of results. The YSR Congress has won 4 ofthe 5 seats for which results have been declared**,** while the Congress has won one seat. The TDP and TRS are yet to open their accounts. 12.03pm: As results emerge it turns out that both Congress and TDP members are beginning to lose their deposits due to poor performance. The Deccan Chronicle reports that Congress has lost deposits in Prathipadu while the Telugu Desam party has lost its deposit in the Narsapur Assembly segment. 11.47am: The YSR Congress chalks up another massive victory with Srikanth Reddy winning the Rayachoti seat by a margin of about 45,000 votes. Meanwhile a YSR Congress governing member speaking to NDTV said that the victory was a vindication for Jagan Reddy, and was a fitting reply to the Congress administration that had, according to him misused state machinery on an unprecedented scale during its campaign. 11.40am: Congress gets some consolation, with latest results showing that it has at least won the Narsapur Assembly seat in the Andhra Pradesh by-polls. The Congress candidate K Subbarayudu wins the seat by defeating his nearest YSR Congress candidate by about 3000 votes. 11.25am: As Jagan Reddy’s YSR Congress heads for a sweep of the Andhra Pradesh by-polls, police have given a clean chit to the elections saying that they were free, fair and largely peaceful. Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Dinesh Reddy told reporters that there were some sporadic incidents and group clashes, pelting of stones and damage to a Police vehicle in Warangal Urban Police District. However he said that this did not detract from the larger fact that the elections were free and fair. The Congress party is putting on a brave face, but Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy is reportedly holding an emergency meeting with his cabinet. The YSR Congress performance significantly reduces the Congress’ already slim majority in the state assembly polls and Kiran Kumar Reddy is clearly worried that this performance will lead to a further wave of defections from the Congress party to YSR Congress. 10.41am: Jagan Reddy’s YSR Congress has now officially won two seats in the crucial Andhra Pradesh by-polls and lead in a further 13. Celebrations are in full force outside the YSR Congress office, with analysts calling this an absolute decimation of the Congress party. There is as yet no word from YSR Congress party leaders. 10.22am YSR Congress supporters have already begun celebrating outside their party premises in Hyderabad. Early leads indicate that the party is now leading in 15 constituencies with the Congress just leading in 2 seats. Political analysts say that this performance is a huge vindication for Jagan Reddy as this will validate his decision to enter politics, and contest on his own against the Congress. 10.18 am: An Andhra Pradesh Congress leader says that though they are losing against YSR Congress Party in the by-polls, this does not mean that the ruling party would lose its majority in the state assembly. He says that they are not unduly worried because the Congress party enjoys the support of several allies in the assembly. The bigger worry for the Congress however is whether the YSR Congress performance will prompt another wave of defections from the Congress party. 10.11am: Jagan’s YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) is leading in the Nellore Lok Sabha and in 13 of 18 assembly constituencies. The ruling Congress party is ahead on two seats and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on one. 9.42am: Jagan Reddy’s wife Bharati speaks to NDTV and tells the channel that she is confident that the party will do well in the by-polls. “This is a big day in the life of a small party”, she said. Bharati Reddy added that Jagan was extremely keen that his family kept on campaigning, as he saw the by-polls as a tool by which to show the country the injustice that had been done in Andhra Pradesh. “We know that the people who loved my father-in-law are on our side and God is with us”, she added. Jagan Reddy’s custody was extended till 25 June by a special CBI court after the investigating agency complained that it was unhappy with the answers he had provided during their interrogation of him in relation to a Disproportionate Assets case. He was actively campaigning for the party right until the time of his arrest. 9:25 pm: The results of 18 assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh are expected today and will be a test for the YSR Congress, whose chief Jaganmohan Reddy is in jail on charges of corruption. Initial results seem to indicate that the YSR Congress is presently leading in 14 of the 18 seats. Congress is leading in 2 while the TDP is still not leading in any of the seats. The YSR Congress whose campaign was headed by Reddy’s mother and sister following his arrest needs to win a majority of these polls to stamp their authority in the state. [caption id=“attachment_344464” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Will the bypolls strengthen the YSR Congress whose chief Jaganmohan Reddy is in jail? PTI”] [/caption] By-polls in 16 of the 18 Assembly constituencies were necessitated, as sitting Congress MLAs in these constituencies were disqualified by the Assembly Speaker for switching loyalty to YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy and voting against the Congress government during a no-trust vote in December. Also, actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi resigned as MLA following his election to Rajya Sabha that caused a by-poll in another seat. The sitting Congress MP quit in support of Jagan which necessitated by-election for Lok Sabha constituency in Nellore. The outcome of the by-elections is expected to impact the YSR Congress as the performance would decide the party’s hopes to grab power in the 2014 Assembly elections. The results are equally important for the ruling Congress as a poor performance might lead to more defections of its MLAs to Jagan’s party, thus affecting the stability of the state government.