Raipur, May 13 (IANS) Chhattisgarh's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Dinesh Kashyap Friday established a lead of about 7,200 votes over Kawasi Lakhma of the Congress in the Bastar Lok Sabha seat.

 
 The BJP has won the seat continuously since 1998. The by-election was caused by the death of BJP's tribal leader Baliram Kashyap. His son is the BJP nominee.
 
 There were eight candidates in the fray in Bastar, a Maoist bastion. Polling took place May 8.