Not Supreme Party, Hero Alom to contest in JS polls as Bangladesh Congress. candidate

Despite making headlines by collecting a nomination paper from the Bangladesh Supreme Party, Ashraful Hossain Alom, widely known as Hero Alom, has decided to contest in the 12th Jatiya Sangsad polls as a candidate of the Bangladesh Congress.

Speaking to The Business Standard (TBS) on Thursday (30 November), Alom confirmed that he filed the Bangladesh Congress nomination paper for Bogura-4 (Kahalu-Nandigram) to District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Md Saiful Islam at around 3:30pm today via his personal assistant Sujan Rahman Shuvo. 

The popular actor-cum-social media influencer himself was not present on the occasion. 

"I will contest with the symbol 'green coconut'," he said. 

The Bangladesh Congress is currently leading a six-party alliance which also includes, the People's Rights Party, Bangladesh Bachelors Society, Bangladesh People's Party, Bangladesh Green party and Bangladesh Bangladesh Sat Sangrami Voters Party.

Meanwhile, Hero Alom said, "I usually choose to contest from two seats. I had similar intentions this time as well… Today you all know that I am vying to contest from Bangladesh Congress. 

"I have heard that the Election Commission will extend the time for submission of nominations by three more days. If time increases then I want to contest from the Comilla-10 constituency as well. My fans want me in that area."

The Election Commission, however, has not made any announcement regarding the extension of the deadline for nomination submission, which ended at 4:00pm today. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Alom's personal assistant Sujan told TBS that he collected a nomination form of the Bangladesh Supreme Party for Bogura-4 on behalf of Alom.

However, Azmain Abrar, spokesperson of Bangladesh Supreme Party (BSP), had said Hero Alom is not a BSP candidate but he has a political party which may form alliance with the BSP.

The Bangladesh Supreme Party received registration from the Election Commission on 10 August this year.

Dr Syed Saifuddin Ahmed Maizbhandari is the founder chairman of the party. The symbol of the party is Ektara.

It has announced to field 121 candidates in the upcoming national election.

Hero Alom came to the limelight in February this year when he stood as an independent candidate for the by-polls of Bogura-4 and Bogura-6 (Sadar). He lost in both seats.

The YouTube star lost the Bogura-4 by-poll by a margin of only 834 votes to Grand Alliance-backed candidate AKM Rezaul Karim Tansen. 

Alom rejected the results claiming that the elections were rigged and plagued by irregularities.

In July, Alom again contested in the Dhaka-17 by-polls as an independent candidate. Awami League nominated candidate Mohammad Ali Arafat won the election.

Hero Alom was physically assaulted while leaving a polling centre during the by-polls in Dhaka's Banani area. He was later admitted to a hospital in the city.

Alleging that many fake votes were submitted during the election, he said police failed to do their duty during the Dhaka-17 by-polls.