Eighty years after the Nazi party came to power, Adolf Hitler is once again running for election, but this time in India.

Adolf Lu Hitler, a 54-year-old father-of-three, was one of 343 candidates on the ballot paper in last Saturday’s assembly elections in the tiny north-east Indian state of Meghalaya.

Mr Hitler told the Associated Press: “I am aware at one point of time Adolf Hitler was the most hated person on Earth for the genocide of the Jews. But my father added ‘Lu’ in between, naming me Adolf Lu Hitler, and that’s why I am different.”

The candidate, who has won a local assembly seat three times previously, said his name had not prevented him travelling, including to the US and Germany, and pointed out that he played no role choosing his name.