Dalip Singh Rana, known as The Great Khali, joins BJP

At the BJP headquarters in Delhi (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

“I’m glad to have joined BJP… I feel that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s work for the nation makes him the right PM. So, I thought why not be a part of his governance for the nation’s development. I joined the party after being influenced by the BJP’s national policy,” Rana was quoted as saying by ANI.

Jitendra Singh welcomes Khali into the party. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

Rana is well-known in the WWE Universe where he battled professional wrestlers like Batista, Shawn Michaels and even John Cena and Kane. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021. The wrestler, standing 7-foot-1, has appeared in films like “MacGruber,” “Get Smart,” and “The Longest Yard.” He’s also opened up a wrestling school, helping to get the next generation of Indian Superstar hopefuls ready for the ring.

His induction into the BJP comes on the day of the first phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh. The party is gearing up for elections in four other states — Manipur, Goa, Punjab and Uttarakhand — in February and March.