Raipur, Dec 04: The Jogi spell in Chhattisgarh now seems to be over with the BJP surging ahead with gains in the state.
The party has won 43 seats and is leading in 8 others, while the ruling Congress has won just 26 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party has also bagged two seats in the maiden assembly elections.
Though early trends did show a neck-and-neck fight between the two parties, the balance soon tilted in BJP's favour. The prominent losers in the state were Health Minister K K Gupta in Raigarh, Civil Supplies Minister Chaneshram Rathiya, Minister of State for General Administration Vikram Bhagat in Jashpur and Women and Child Welfare Minister Gitadevi Singh in Dongargaon.

However, the ruling party drew some solace after Home Minister Nandkumar Patel won from Kharsiya and Irrigation Minister Sakrajit Nayak was declared elected from Saria.

Out of four seats in Mahasamund district, Saraypli, Basna, Khallari were wrested by the BJP.
Bureau Report