India, Jan. 7 -- More than 10 years after she became a part of the Save Aarey Movement to prevent the construction of the metro car shed in the city forest, 22-year-old Sejal Bhopi is gearing up for another significant fight on January 15.

A Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate, Bhopi, who was pursuing a BA in rural development, quit her studies in the second year due to financial issues and has since been working on the ground. She has been an activist with the Democratic Youth Federation of India, the youth wing of the CPI-M. Working as a salesgirl, she resigned recently to contest the polls.

Bhopi is contesting from Ward No 121, the only ST-reserved women's seat in the BMC elections, which comprises 28,000 voters. The ward ha...