CHP rejects reports on election alliance with İP

REPUBLICAN People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman Bülent Tezcan has dismissed the reports of a political alliance between the CHP and the Good Party (İP).

On Monday, Tezcan tweeted, “The reports that have been circulating in media suggesting an agreement between CHP and İP on candidates for Ankara and Mersin [in local elections] are completely false.”

Last week, some media reports claimed that the two parties have agreed to nominate Mansur Yavaş and Burhanettin Kocamaz for the Ankara and Mersin mayors’ office.

Yavaş had participated in the 2009 Ankara Metropolitan Municipality elections from the CHP and came second after the former head of the province, Melih Gökçek. Kocamaz is the current mayor of Mersin from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

Speaking on the CHP’s local election strategies, another party official, the CHP Deputy Chair Oğuz Kaan Salıcı said yesterday that their aim is to substantially cut down on the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) votes behind the July 24 elections.

The AK Party had garnered 42.5 percent of the votes in the last parliamentary elections and became the majority in the parliament with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The two had jointly participated in the elections under the name People’s Alliance.

Salıcı said that if they defeat the AK Party in the upcoming local elections in some metropolitan municipalities, it would bring some “political consequences” for the ruling party.

He also rejected claims of a possible intraparty clash after the March 2019 elections, similarly to what the party had after the presidential elections on June 24.

After the June 24 elections, some party members called on the incumbent party Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, whom they see as responsible for the repeated election failures, to step down and started a petition to convene an extraordinary convention. However, they failed to reach a quorum for the extraordinary congress to replace the party leadership.

Meanwhile, the party administration reportedly will announce 150 candidates for the local elections in a party meeting scheduled for Nov. 14.

During the meeting, which will be chaired by Kılıçdaroğlu, party members will discuss names and evaluate surveys coming from local party organizations. According to reports, the party will nominate candidates who appeal to all factions of the society.

The CHP had announced on Oct. 24 the mayoral candidates of the party for 105 districts and townships for the upcoming local elections.