MHP leader speaks of ‘treason’ after senior MP’s consent to take part in interim gov’t

ANKARA

HÜRRİYET photo

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has implicitly accused a senior MHP member of “treason” after the latter agreed to take part in an interim government upon invitation by incumbent Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and to the surprise of many.

MHP Ankara deputy Tuğrul Türkeş, son of party founder Alparslan Türkeş, defied the party line to accept the invitation on Aug. 26. The party leadership swiftly ordered him to resign or face dismissal.  

“History is like a litmus paper; it doesn’t only classify treason and loyalty, but it also imprints it on the memory of the future. There is no problem if lessons are being drawn from this,” Bahçeli said late Aug. 26, in messages posted to his Twitter account.

“Homeland is cause and cause is faith,” Bahçeli said. “We are not holders in this sacred homeland. Here is ours, here is the everlasting Turkish homeland of our great nation. Everybody should know that. Homeland is patience; prodigals cannot comprehend,” he said in a veiled reference to Türkeş’s family ties.

Soon after Türkeş’s consent was announced by officials from Davutoğlu’s office, MHP Deputy Chair Semih Yalçın said Türkeş should resign immediately or face expulsion from the party. Yalçın also called on the party’s disciplinary board to meet over the issue. 

Letters signed by Davutoğlu were sent to the offices of non-Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies at parliament on Aug. 26, with a deadline to accept or decline the offer by 6 p.m. on Aug. 27 at the latest. The letters didn’t cite the portfolios these deputies would be offered.

However, Aug. 27 news reports said Türkeş would likely be offered the Deputy Prime Ministry in the interim government.