Three deputies resign from BDP, expected to join new leftist movement

ANKARA

Istanbul deputies Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Sabahat Tuncel, along with Mersin MP Ertuğrul Kürkçü, resigned from the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) on Oct 23. DAILY NEWS photo, Selahattin SÖNMEZ

Three Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) deputies handed in their resignations on Oct. 23 with an eye on joining the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), a new leftist movement preparing an independent list in the upcoming local elections.
 
Istanbul deputies Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Sabahat Tuncel, along with Mersin MP Ertuğrul Kürkçü submitted their resignations ahead of the HDP’s congress, which will take place on Oct. 27.
 
All three are mentioned as potential candidates for important municipalities in the March 2014 elections, particularly Önder, who has been widely tipped to run for Istanbul.
 
The former movie director was the main political actor who supported the Gezi protests in their initial phase, memorably joining protesters to stop the bulldozers cutting down trees at Istanbul’s Gezi Park.
 
First described as an umbrella of the BDP, the HDP has also been joined by many small leftist fractions. It is expected to be backed by the BDP in Istanbul and other Western constituencies and not nominate candidates in provinces that are strongholds of the pro-Kurdish party in eastern and southeastern Turkey.
 
Aysel Tuğluk and Ahmet Türk, outspoken independent deputies formerly affiliated with the BDP, together with independent deputy Levent Tüzel are also expected to join the new movement. 
 
Önder, Tuncel and Kürkçü had previously resigned from their posts on parliamentary commissions, which was taken as a sign that they were poised to join the HDP.