Mesut Özarslan's reaction to Özgür Özel at first meeting after CHP resignation: I hope you find a proper chairman
The Keçiören Municipal Council met for the first time following the resignation of Keçiören Mayor Mesut Özarslan and 7 municipal council members from the CHP.
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CHP Group Deputy Chairman Hakan Ataoğlu called for the Keçiören mayoral elections to be renewed. Responding to Ataoğlu, Özarslan's remarks regarding CHP Chairman Özgür Özel—stating, "Shame on such a chairman who has come to lead a party founded by a great figure like Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk," and "I hope you find a proper chairman worthy of that party"—caused tension at the meeting.
Taking the floor at the council meeting, Keçiören Municipality CHP Group Deputy Chairman Hakan Ataoğlu called for the renewal of the Keçiören mayoral elections. Addressing questions to Özarslan such as, "Were those votes cast for you personally? Did thousands of young people, our mothers with white hair, and our retirees wanting to escape the economic bottleneck work street by street for your personal position?" Ataoğlu said, "As municipal council members, we hear that the mayor is very confident in himself; before this confidence in yourself runs out, let's not wait 3 years like this, let's go to the polls immediately. If you claim that you won, not the Republican People's Party, then whatever party you want to be a candidate for, let's bring the ballot box and see whether you are elected or we are."
Özarslan's remarks about Özel drew reaction
Following Özarslan's response to Ataoğlu regarding CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, where he said, "Shame on such a chairman who has come to lead a party founded by a great figure like Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk," CHP council members protested Özarslan by banging on their desks.
"I hope you find a proper chairman worthy of that party"
Speaking after the tension ended with the intervention of other council members, Özarslan addressed the CHP members, saying, "I hope that within yourselves, you find a proper chairman worthy of that party. I will continue to provide services; service to the people is service to the divine."
Speaking after the council meeting, CHP Keçiören District Chairman Görkem Cevahir Yıldırım said, "As the Republican People's Party, we will continue to stand by the truth as we did yesterday, to protect the votes cast by 245 thousand Keçiören residents, and to look after Keçiören. We will continue to uphold the Turkey Alliance, as defined by our Chairman Mr. Özgür Özel, in Keçiören."