Dehra Dun:Men got preference over women in the distribution of tickets by rulingCongress, opposition BJP and other parties for the February 21 Assemblyelections in Uttarkhand.

Congress, which boasts of having a woman as its president, has given tickets toonly five women out of its total 70 candidates.

The ruling party had given six tickets to women in the last assembly electionsand promised to give them more representation this time, instead they cut downthe number.

Out of the five women that Congress fielded, two could just find their place inthe list because both were ministers and one was the wife of Satpal Maharaj, apowerful state leader and the other being a loyalist of Chief Minister N DTiwari.

Uttarakhand women congress chief Shanti Juwantha had contested last assemblyelection from Purola, though unsuccessfully. This time she lobbied hard andeventually succeeded in getting party's ticket for her son Rajesh.

"Gender is not the issue. We have considered only merit of ourcandidates," said PCC chief Harish Rawat adding the party would try togive more tickets to the women in the next assembly elections.

Ditto is the case with BJP which is contesting all the 70 seats. The saffronbrigade has fielded only seven women candidates.

"Congress has given only seven per cent of the total seats to women. Weare much ahead with ten per cent," said state BJP spokesman Vishwas Dawar.