Explosive claim from Şamil Tayyar: 'There will be defections from CHP to AK Party'

Following the 38th Ordinary Convention of the Republican People's Party (CHP) held on November 4-5, 2023, which was won by Özgür Özel, former Hatay Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Lütfü Savaş and several delegates filed a lawsuit for annulment, alleging irregularities during the convention.

The petition, which stated that the convention should be 'legally disregarded,' requested a nullity ruling, demanded that Özgür Özel's chairmanship and the duties of the executives elected at the convention be declared invalid, and also requested that Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu be reinstated to his post.

During this process, CHP leader Özgür Özel took his party to an extraordinary convention on April 6, where he received 1,171 votes out of 1,276 delegates. CHP convention delegates Yılmaz Özkanat and Hatip Karaaslan had also applied to the court for the annulment of the 21st Extraordinary Convention.

While all eyes are on the hearing on September 15 regarding the convention lawsuit, former AKP deputy Şamil Tayyar put forward a claim that is set to dominate the agenda.

Speaking on TGRT Haber, Tayyar said, "After the convention lawsuit is decided in court—we don't know which side will win—it seems as if there will be resignations from the CHP. I don't just mean this in the sense that a new political party will be formed. There could also be defections to other parties."

Tayyar suggested that if Kılıçdaroğlu does not return to the head of the CHP via a court decision, it would not be a surprise if the team close to Kılıçdaroğlu joins the AKP.

Tayyar stated the following:

"It would not be a surprise if there are defections to the AK Party from cadres known to be from Kılıçdaroğlu's team who have entered into conflict with the new team."