AKP's hope is Başak Demirtaş

Discussions continue regarding the possibility that Başak Demirtaş, the wife of Selahattin Demirtaş who is currently imprisoned in Edirne Prison, will become the DEM Party's candidate for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayor. 

AKP Diyarbakır Deputy Galip Ensarioğlu said, "The day Başak Demirtaş enters the race, the İmamoğlu issue is closed. The AK Party will win by a landslide." Stating that the goal is not to become mayor, Ensarioğlu added, "This is a way of saying to the CHP, 'If you don't give us three districts, forget about Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.'"

"THE GOAL IS NOT TO BECOME MAYOR"

Speaking on KRT TV, Ensarioğlu evaluated the discussions regarding Başak Demirtaş potentially running as a candidate for the DEM Party. "This is an important move. It is not a random move," said the AKP Diyarbakır Deputy, continuing as follows:

"Ms. Başak is not a politician; she is a politician's wife. Her husband is a good politician, but she is not a politician herself. However, she is an important symbolic figure. Sometimes certain elections and certain things can proceed through symbolic figures. It is not a situation where she visited her husband, it crossed her mind, they chatted there, and she said, 'Let me apply.' Everyone knows she will not win the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. If the goal were to be mayor, she could have been the mayor of Diyarbakır. She would have received even more votes. The goal is not to become mayor.

It is very clear; there could be two purposes for this. I have no news or information about either, but I am someone who can read the situation. This is either about the ongoing negotiations with the CHP; they asked for three districts in Istanbul: Esenyurt, Adalar, and one other district. They are no longer doing this secretly or hiding it from us as they used to. Because the base is now very upset by this, and it touches their dignity. We are also a political party; let there be open negotiations with us, let there be open discussions, let there be an open protocol. Bakırhan's statements were actually statements that the base liked and expected. He followed the right policy. What is the goal of an HDP that supports the CHP without getting anything in return, or that builds its entire policy on hostility toward Erdoğan? This has no purpose. Now, this is not the demand of the Kurds, this is not the concern of the Kurds. The statements Bakırhan made after becoming co-chair were very reasonable and correct statements."

"DEM PARTY WILL GET ITS BEST VOTE WITH HER"

Başak Demirtaş is the person who can get the most votes in Istanbul. Selahattin Bey is inside, and the public will vote for her due to the sympathy and sense of victimization they feel for him. They will get their best vote with her. This is a way of saying to the CHP, 'If you don't give us three districts, forget about Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.' Because the day Başak Demirtaş enters the race, the İmamoğlu issue is closed. The AK Party will win by a landslide.

Either this is something said to strengthen their hand in the negotiations, or it means let us act like an independent political party. It means let us not take a beating on behalf of someone else..."