Battal İlgezdi speaks at municipal building following his resignation from CHP

Speaking to journalists at the municipal building, İlgezdi said that he had been the Mayor of Ataşehir from the CHP for 15 years and that he had resigned from his party today.

Noting that he did not resign because he was not nominated as a mayoral candidate, İlgezdi said, "A purge is being carried out within the CHP. I have experienced many party conventions in this party over the years. There has never been a purge like this in any other period.

All mayors in Turkey and Istanbul who supported Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu are being purged. This is one of the reasons for my resignation.

We see that all the promises of primary elections made at the convention have been shelved. No primary election polls were conducted anywhere. It was just said to save the day, and that was it," he said.

Explaining that he met with CHP Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu this morning, İlgezdi stated that regarding the reason he was not nominated, İmamoğlu told him that he performed poorly in the polls.

"THERE IS A BLACK SEA LOBBY IN ISTANBUL"

Stating that he had polls conducted by six different companies and that the latest poll showed he would win the election with 52-58 percent, İlgezdi said,

"A purge of Kurds and Alevis is being carried out very openly in the party. I told the friends who visited us, 'If you wish, I will not be a candidate.' There should be a candidate who will embrace Ataşehir and whom Ataşehir will also collectively accept.

Out of courtesy, I was not asked. Can there be such disrespect toward the CHP district head and the organization?" he said.

İlgezdi stated that they would meet with these friends in the field from now on, adding, "For some reason, a Black Sea lobby is becoming mayor everywhere in Istanbul. Let's count how many people from Trabzon there are. For the first time, the CHP is experiencing such a process and period. We will see the election results together. As Battal İlgezdi, I am in the field. Everyone will see how these things will turn out. On the morning of April 1, we will look at both Ataşehir and Istanbul," he said.