Fatih Portakal's claim had dominated the agenda: Burcu Köksal, who sparked controversy with her 'DEM Party' remark, visits Kılıçdaroğlu

Burcu Köksal, who made headlines before the March 31 Local Elections with her remark, "When I am elected, the municipal doors will be open to every party except the DEM Party," and who was elected Mayor of Afyonkarahisar with over 50 percent of the vote, met with former CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu one day after receiving her certificate of election.

"HE HAS CONTRIBUTED MUCH TO MY CAREER"

Sharing her meeting with Kılıçdaroğlu on her social media account, Köksal captioned the photo: "I visited our 7th Chairman, Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who has contributed much to my political career and whose experience we always benefit from."

I visited our 7th Chairman, Mr. Kemal KILIÇDAROĞLU, who has contributed much to my political career and whose experience we always benefit from. @kilicdarogluk pic.twitter.com/9KZnRWqu7Y

— BURCU KÖKSAL (@Av_Burcu03) April 4, 2024

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

Burcu Köksal had used the phrase 'My door is open to everyone except the DEM Party' in a speech at a rally held before the local elections. These words by Köksal had also caused reactions within the party. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu had reacted to Köksal, saying, "She will either find herself another job or another party. That is not acceptable. We do not discriminate against people, my friend."

Journalist Fatih Portakal, emphasizing that Köksal is a figure close to Kılıçdaroğlu, had said, "I think she received the instruction from Kılıçdaroğlu."

KILIÇDAROĞLU HAD CALLED IT 'A DISGRACE, A LOW BLOW'

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu reacted to Portakal's claim by calling him "ignorant and impudent" and made the following statement:

"To my dear nation; would Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who organized the social opposition despite everyone and everything, who endured assassinations, attacks, lynching attempts, and slanders for this cause, who grew the Nation Alliance like a sapling planted in the soil, and who proudly watched it flourish, ever harm the sapling he planted? Would he ever wish ill upon the party in whose shade he cools like a giant plane tree? Would he set fire to his own house? I leave it to your conscience because I have nowhere else to go...

To the ignorant and impudent;

1- Calling the current Chairman of the Republican People's Party incompetent is lack of level, it is impudence! I, first and foremost, will not allow this!

2- Making a mouthful of slander by saying 'I cannot prove it' is not journalism, it is not humanity. It is a disgrace! It is a low blow!

3- Forget about giving such an instruction; any Chairman who even considers it, who wishes ill upon his party for even a moment, is a coward! Anyone who spews hatred to look good to others and makes an unprovable claim is also A COWARD! @fatihportakal, your slanders are no different from the slanders, fake and montage videos made by the current government during the election period; I again take refuge in God from the slanderers. I leave you to the conscience of my nation and honest journalists."

News Source: 12punto