File photo of BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi
BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi, the only woman representative from Delhi in the 16th Lok Sabha, defeated her nearest rival, Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashish Khetan, by a margin of over 1.6 lakh votes in the prestigious New Delhi constituency.
But in another constituency in the same city, the runner-up candidate actually managed to score more votes than her.
Ms Lekhi had a lower vote share than AAP leader Rakhi Birla, an MLA from Mongolpuri, who contested from North West Delhi constituency. She was defeated by BJP's Udit Raj by a margin of 1.06 lakh votes.
Both Ms Lekhi and Ms Birla were among the 13 women candidates who contested from the national capital.
Among other prominent women candidates who contested from Delhi were former Union Minister Krishna Tirath, Congress candidate from North West Delhi Parliamentary seat.
Performance by women candidates of regional and smaller parties -- including Trinamool Congress' Sreerupa Mita Chaudhury (803), Rashtriya Janmorcha's Musarrat Jahan (592), Bhartiya Pragatisheel Congress's Rashmi Kashyap (538) -- was dismal.
In South Delhi constituency, independent candidate Ruby Yadav threw up a surprise by getting 56,749 votes.
Another independent Kamini Kaur, candidate from North-West Delhi constituency, got 666 votes.
The maximum number of female candidates were in New Delhi seat -- five women out of a total 29 candidates. Not a single woman candidate contested the elections from West Delhi and North East Delhi.