CHP vice chair says he tried to stop Sarıgül’s mayoral candidacy in local elections
by Daily Sabah
ISTANBULJan 05, 2015 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Daily Sabah
Jan 05, 2015 12:00 am
In an exclusive interview with Turkish daily Habertürk on Monday, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Vice Chair Gürsel Tekin said that there was pressure on CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to announce former Şişli Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül as the CHP mayoral candidate for Istanbul in the March 30 local elections.
Highlighting that he did not support Sarıgül's candidacy in the local elections, Tekin said that he had to announce his nomination for candidacy for the Istanbul municipality just to prevent Sarıgül from running in the elections.
The CHP is dealing with internal conflict in the Şişli district, which is a fortress of CHP voting in Istanbul. Sarıgül, who served Şişli for years as mayor, is accused of making death threats to current Şişli Mayor Hayri İnönü, and a probe by the Counterterrorism Department within the Public Prosecutor of Istanbul was launched into the incidents.
Regarding the increasing debate between Sarıgül and İnönü, Tekin said that the debate only harms the CHP's image in the eyes of the public.
"We can't stand that this debate harms the CHP's corporate identity," Tekin said, adding that each platform in politics is dirty and a mastermind never stops to design politics.
Tekin denied allegations of a previous alliance between the Gülen Movement and the CHP: "We are neither close nor far away from the movement."
In December, CHP İzmir deputy Birgül Ayman Güler accused the party of forming an alliance with the Gülen Movement during the March 30 local elections when they cooperated with different components of the movement in provinces and districts. She said that the alliance with the Gülen Movement must be questioned.
"Despite the party administration's denials, the CHP cooperated with the Gülen Movement during the March 30 local elections," Güler asserted. Following these remarks Güler was referred for discipline with a condemnation demand, but she did not stop asserting that there was an alliance between the CHP and the movement.
Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey,
it’s region and the world.
You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.