Dozens of district mayors elected in the March 31 local elections have applied to be transferred to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), party sources said.

The applications of 35 out of 85 district mayors who fulfill the criteria have been accepted by the AK Party, sources said, adding that they are expected to officially join the party at the upcoming parliamentary group meeting on Jan. 14.

The district mayors from main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), the Good Party (İYİ Party) and Felicity Party (SP) and independents include those in Trabzon, Erzurum, Diyarbakır, Kayseri, Osmaniye, Yozgat, Elazığ, Yalova and Ağrı provinces.

The first application to join the AK Party was made by İYİ Party's İncesu District Mayor Mustafa İlmek and his councilors in Kayseri province. SP's Hasanbeyli District Mayor Selahattin Denizoğlu and CHP's Böcekli District Mayor Hüseyin Açmaz followed İlmek's lead in Osmaniye province.

The AK Party held a meeting last week to discuss the transfers and evaluate which candidates would fulfill the criteria to join the party, the sources said, adding that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will pin the district mayors' party badges in the upcoming parliamentary meeting.