MHP deputy resigns after criticizing ruling party

ANKARA

Saffet Sancaklı, a member of parliament from the ranks of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has announced his resignation following a brawl with the party chairman Devlet Bahçeli.

“I resign from the MHP – that I am proud of being one of its members – to protect our party and the People’s Alliance from speculation ahead of the local elections and upon the instructions of our chairman,” Sancaklı said on his social media account over the weekend.

He also said his loyalty to the MHP and its chairman, Devlet Bahçeli, will continue under any conditions.

His resignation came after he urged the Justice and Development Party (AKP) to pledge a number of municipalities to the MHP as they are the allies under the People’s Alliance. He went further by saying that he won’t participate in the election campaign in his constituency, Kocaeli, a province in the Marmara region.

Bahçeli harshly slammed Sancaklı through a social media message. MHP deputy leader Semih Yalçın later announced that Bahçeli sought Sancaklı’s resignation.

Sancaklı, a former football player, has been in active politics within the MHP ranks since 2015.