New Delhi: Dharmendra Pratap Singh, who claims to be India’s tallest man, joined the Samajwadi Party on Saturday. Hails from Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh Singh is 2.4m (8 ft 1 in) tall. He is just 11 cm shy of the world record.

Samajwadi’s State President Naresh Uttam Patel announced Mr Singh’s arrival into the party and said that this would make the party stronger ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

“Expressing faith in the policies of the Samajwadi Party and the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav, today Dharmendra Pratap Singh of Pratapgarh joined the Samajwadi Party. State President Naresh Uttam Patel while inducting Dharmendra Pratap Singh in the party expressed the hope that Samajwadi Party will be strengthened by his arrival,” Samajwadi spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said in a statement on Saturday.

Singh says that while he faced a lot of troubles due to his height, he also garners a lot of attention when he steps out. He had said that when people want to get a picture with him, he feels like a celebrity.
“I am immensely popular and it is all because of my height,” he said.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls will take place in seven phases between February 10 and March 7. The counting of votes will be held on March 10.