No one can say CHP has been unsuccessful in polls: CHP leader

Hande Fırat - ANKARA

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu refuted assessments that his party was defeated in the June 24 polls and said “no one can describe us as unsuccessful.”

Speaking to daily Hürriyet on June 28, Kılıçdaroğlu also said he would meet with the CHP’s presidential candidate Muharrem İnce next week.

“No one can call us unsuccessful in providing a multi-party presence in parliament. No one can regard us as unsuccessful in the AKP’s [ruling Justice and Development Party] failure to ensure the sole majority in the parliament,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

“Additionally, we have presented a very strong presidential candidate and this candidate has put forward more of an effort than any other candidate. No one can regard us as unsuccessful in this matter also,” he added.

Kılıçdaroğlu criticized the media’s coverage of the opposition party, stating that the assessment of election results often focused on the CHP and depicted it as a failure.

“The AKP’s failure is not discussed in the media or in public,” he said.

“It indicates the media’s direct dependence on the ruling party,” said the CHP leader.

“Erdoğan’s party had lost in the latest election. They had fallen to 41 percent from 49 percent. And there is no voice in the party. They are only questioning behind doors. All they deal with is the CHP. Because there is no political space left without the CHP,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

Lawmaker’s dismissal

Kılıçdaroğlu defended the dismissal of the party’s newly elected Elazığ lawmaker Gürsel Erol following his criticism of the CHP administration calling on the CHP leader to resign.

“Those who cause harm to the party with their statements have no place in the party,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

The main opposition party “is always open to criticism, in the related assemblies, such as the party assembly, central executive board, etc.,” he said.

“However, to do these criticisms over the media, even to be a headline for pro-government media is something unacceptable,” he said.

Following the elections, in which the CHP received 22 percent of the votes while the party’s presidential candidate İnce received 30 percent, the inner-party debates have been covered in the media.

While there have been alleged rumors that İnce’s team within the CHP will push for an extraordinary congress for a change in the leadership, both İnce and Kılıçdaroğlu have dismissed the rumors and have said the main opposition party would focus on the local election period, which is due to be held in March 2019.

In response to the question of whether they would meet, Kılıçdaroğlu said the two would gather next week.

“We have spoken over the phone three or four times. We will discuss it in person,” he said.