Pro-government columnist claims 'İmamoğlu is resentful of Özel': 'Disturbed that he did not bring it up...'

Following the March 31 Local Elections, AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and CHP Chairman Özgür Özel held two consecutive meetings.

In his meetings with Erdoğan, Özel had brought up the imprisonment of the retired generals from the February 28 process, the situation of Gezi prisoners Osman Kavala and Tayfun Kahraman, and the situation of TİP MP Can Atalay.

Hürriyet columnist Abdulkadir Selvi, known for his proximity to the government, claimed that CHP leader Özgür Özel did not bring up the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's case at the Court of Appeals during these meetings, and that İmamoğlu is disturbed by this.

Suggesting that Ekrem İmamoğlu has begun to feel distrust toward Özgür Özel regarding four issues, Selvi continued as follows:

"1- He was expecting Özgür Özel to declare him as the presidential candidate. As I mentioned above, perhaps there was an agreement between them in that direction.

2- Özgür Özel tried to establish a balance within the party by meeting with Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

3- By entering into a dialogue with President Erdoğan, he opened a new space for himself. With this move, he stepped one step ahead of Ekrem İmamoğlu.

4- In his meeting with President Erdoğan, Özgür Özel brought up the imprisonment of the retired generals from the February 28 process, the situation of Gezi prisoner Osman Kavala and Tayfun Kahraman, and the situation of TİP MP Can Atalay. Did you notice? Ekrem İmamoğlu's situation is not on Özgür Özel's list. Yet, İmamoğlu is also having trouble with the judiciary. A prison sentence of 2 years, 7 months, and 15 days is hanging over his head like the Sword of Damocles."

Stating that if İmamoğlu's case at the Court of Appeals is upheld by the Supreme Court of Appeals, he will be subject to a political ban, Selvi used the following expressions:

"His file is at the Court of Appeals. If it passes through the Court of Appeals and is upheld by the Supreme Court of Appeals, he will fall into the position of being politically banned. In this case, his presidential candidacy will be in danger. I have declared that I have always been and will continue to be against political bans. But that does not change the fact that Ekrem İmamoğlu has such a problem.

It is said that Ekrem İmamoğlu is disturbed that Özgür Özel did not bring this issue up in his meeting with President Erdoğan.

I find İmamoğlu right on this matter. Ekrem İmamoğlu should have been at the top of the list. Because he is an elected mayor. It is a separate mistake that he was not on Özgür Özel's priority list. It was expected that he would say during the meeting, 'Ekrem İmamoğlu is our Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor. He is a mayor elected for the second time by the will of the people. He is a red line for the CHP.'"

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