In Vidarbha, only 57 women candidates in 62 constituencies

Overall, the representation of women is marginal in the region, with even small and regional parties preferring male candidates to female.

There is not a single woman candidate in 24 of the constituencies. The constituencies with highest number of women, 15, are from Nagpur City, followed by 13 in Amravati district.

The number of women candidates in the fray from other districts include 6 from Akola, 5 each from Chandrapur and Yavatmal, 4 from Buldhana, 3 each from Gadchiroli and Bhandara and 1 each from Gondia and Washim.

Not a single woman candidate is contesting from Wardha, Deoli, Arvi, Melghat, Chandrapur, Morshi, Akot, Risod, Karanja, Digras, Arni, Kamptee, Ramtek, Nagpur (East), Khamgaon, Buldana, Malkapur, Mehkar, Bhandara, Tiroda, Arjuni-Morgaon,

Gondia, Aheri and Armori assembly constituencies.

Surprisingly, the ruling BJP has given a ticket to only one woman. The lone woman BJP candidate from Vidarbha is Shweta Mahale from the Chikhli assembly constituency in Buldhana.

The Shiv Sena is contesting 12 seats from Vidarbha and has given tickets to two women, both from Amravati district — Preeti Band from Badnera and Sunita Fiske from Achalpur.

The Congress has fielded six women candidates, including sitting legislator Yashomati Thakur from Teosa in Amravati, Sulbha Khodke from Amravati, Dr Rajni Rathod from Washim, Pratibha Dhanorkar from Warora in Chandrapur, Swati Wakekar from Jalgaon-Jamod and Dr Chanda Kodwate from Gadchiroli.

No woman candidates feature on the NCP list, which is contesting 14 seats from the region. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) too has six women candidates — Savita Kataktalware is contesting from Dhamangaon-Railway in Amravati, Chhaya Gabhne from Tumsar in Bhandara district, Meenakshi Sawalkar from Umarkhed and Adv Savita Awadh from Pusad (both in Yavatmal), Sanchaita Patil from Saoner and Parveen Sayed from Chikhli.

The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) has given tickets to three women — Rekha Wakpanjar from Daryapur in Amravati, Pratibha Avchar from Murtizapur in Akola and Savita Mundhe from Sinkhed-Raja in Buldhana.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded renowned social activist and advocate Paromita Goswami from Brahmapuri in Chandrapur, while the All India Majlis-eIttehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) has given a ticket to Kirti Dongre from the North Nagpur seat and the Shetkari Kamgar Paksha (SKP) has given its sole ticket to Jayshree Velda.