UP elections: India’s tallest man Dharmendra Pratap Singh joins Samajwadi Party

Ahead of the state assembly elections, Dharmendra Pratap Singh, India’s tallest man, has joined the Samajwadi Party today. Hailing from Uttar Pradesh’s Pratapgarh, Singh is 2.4 m (8 ft 1 in) tall. It puts him just 11 cm short of the world record.  

Naresh Uttam Patel, the state president of the Samajwadi Party said that Singh’s arrival would make the party stronger as it gears up for the upcoming elections. Rajendra Chaudhary, the party’s spokesperson, also released a statement, saying “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”.

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As for Singh, he’s stated that his height garners plenty of attention, every time he steps out. Further, it has resulted in him facing a slew of difficulties throughout his life. In 2019, Singh underwent a bilateral hip replacement surgery, after beginning to experience arthritic pain. However, he is popular because of his height and feels like a celebrity when people wish to take pictures with him. 

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The 46-year-old is in the Guinness Book of World Records and holds the distinction of being the tallest man in Asia. A resident of the Narharpur Kasiyahi village, Singh holds a master’s degree and has some prior campaigning experience as well. In April 2021, he campaigned for an associate who was then contesting the Uttar Pradesh panchayat elections.

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The Uttar Pradesh assembly elections will be held in seven phases for the 403 seats. Polling will begin on February 10 and Pratapgarh, which is Singh’s constituency, votes on February 27, in the fifth phase. Votes will be counted and results announced on March 10, 2022.