 Of the four by-elections held that year, Devi's was the only Congress victory.Devi soon established herself as a sedulous legislator and an astute politician, endearing herself to Sonia Gandhi and, resultantly, securing many positions of power within the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee.In 2004's general elections, Komireddi was denied Congress's endorsement, and when he declared that he would run as an independent, in defiance of Congress's alliance with a regional party, he was expelled from the party for six years.