Cracking sounds grow louder in opposition alliance

DISAGREEMENTS between the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the far-right Good Party (İP) continue to grow over nominations in certain provinces and districts ahead of next month’s local elections. The İP has decided to field a candidate in northern Zonguldak’s Ereğli district after its alliance with the CHP broke down over the “tactless attitude” of the CHP candidate, said the İP provincial head. “We had meetings with the CHP where its candidate Halil Posbıyık slammed our party. After this kind of attitude, we decided to participate in the elections with our own candidate,” said Yavuz Erkmen, the İP’s provincial head in Zonguldak.

THE TWO parties had previously decided to join forces, under the umbrella of the Nation Alliance, in many provinces and districts for the upcoming local elections against the People’s Alliance between the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). However, the two parties have been having disagreements over candidates in certain districts.

Apart from disagreements with the İP, the CHP is also dealing with a growing intraparty dispute. A number of candidates who were turned down by the CHP have announced that they would run under the Democratic Left Party (DSP) banner.

Meanwhile, Cemal Canpolat, former Istanbul provincial head of the CHP, has accused the current CHP Istanbul organization of being “factionist,” and added that he will hold a press conference soon on the issue.

“There is an establishment of a clique in Istanbul [party organization]. We should stay away from this conception. We will emphasize subjectivity in the candidate determining process in the press meeting,” Canpolat was quoted as saying.

Canpolat competed against the CHP’s current Istanbul head Canan Kaftancıoğlu but lost the race to her in a local head election.

Media reports have suggested that there are growing issues against Kaftancıoğlu within the party. Late January, she had announced that she would be resigning from her post in reaction to the choice of mayoral candidates; however, she later withdrew her resignation.

Yıldıray Sapan, a former CHP member who joined DSP ranks and became the mayoral candidate in the Muratpaşa district of southern Antalya province, lashed out at the CHP administration, saying that giving a vote to the CHP “equals giving a vote to FETÖ [the Gülenist Terror Group].” “I am calling on the CHP electorate. They [CHP administration] are persuading you. They involved in dirty relations,” Sapan said.

Another dispute erupted within the İP administration over the party’s candidate for Ordu province, İdris Naim Şahin. After some prominent figures of the party, including Ümit Özdağ and Aytun Çıray, harshly criticized Şahin’s candidacy, İP Deputy Chairman Müsavat Dervişoğlu announced that his candidacy was retracted.

In southwestern Muğla’s Bodrum district, on the other hand, Mehmet Kocadon, mayor of the district who had resigned from the CHP, came together with the chairman of the center-right Democrat Party (DP) Gültekin Uysal for a meeting.

After the three-hour-long meeting, the two said they would attend a campaign meeting together on Feb. 19 in the district.