Singh is ready to fight the municipal polls from ward number 80 as a Left Front candidate.

The ward — generally considered an opposition bastion — comprises the industrial colonies and shanties in Taratala. To the people of this ward, Singh represents someone who understands their needs and expectations.

Till class VIII, Singh was a student of South Point High School, one of the most reputed schools of the city. He, however, had to drop out of the school because of financial constraints, Singh said.

He then completed intermediate studies (Class XII) from National Institute of Open Schooling.

Singh originally belongs to Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh, but his family had migrated to the state long back. Singh is well versed in both Hindi and Bengali, which makes him easily accessible to the people.

Singh said that due to harassment by the police he and his fellow drivers decided to set up the Kolkata Taxi Worker’s Union, affiliated to the CITU, to cater to the problems of the drivers in the city. He is also the assistant secretary of the Taratalla Engineering and Thekedar Majdoor Union.

Singh’s association with politics started early. He joined DYFI, the youth wing of the CPM, in the ‘90s and then joined CITU.

“I am fortunate that a party like CPM has given me the chance to contest elections. The party feels that being one of the mass, I can understand their problems and can relate to them,” Singh said.

Majority of people in ward number 80 - which has 13,000 voters —are from non-Bengali communities who came in search of work and settled there.

The ward has traditionally been favouring Congress party. Hema Ram, wife of Congress leader Ram Pyare Ram, is the sitting councillor who is also contesting again on Congress ticket.

Singh, meanwhile, said the ward he is contesting from is one of the most ill-maintained wards where there is no supply of water and even the sewerage lines are not properly maintained.

He added that though the Congress has been getting votes from this ward, they have done nothing for this area.