It had stirred up political backrooms: Afyonkarahisar Mayor Burcu Köksal breaks her silence

Afyonkarahisar Mayor Burcu Köksal has issued a statement regarding the backroom rumors that she would be switching from the CHP to the AKP.

Köksal, whose name was mentioned among those who would join the AKP, stated, "I am where I am," and indicated that she would not be leaving her party.

"I AM WHERE I AM"

In her statement, Burcu Köksal expressed that she has been fighting against the slanders and lies spread about her for a long time. "I am not going anywhere, despite those within the party who do not want me; I have been continuing my struggle for years by debunking slanders and tearing down lies," said Köksal, denying the allegations that she would switch to the AKP.

In her statement, Köksal said, "I haven't had a peaceful day since the 37th Grand Assembly. I have been subjected to every insult imaginable. I can understand those who attack from the outside in politics, but what am I to say to those coming from the party to which I have dedicated my life? I became a mayoral candidate for my hometown so that I could continue providing service from here. During my candidacy process, I was expelled from my party and lynched; I was even subjected to anti-propaganda for days by some CHP-affiliated journalists on screen, saying, 'She cannot win, she will get 5 percent, 10 percent.'"

"I WAS ELECTED WITH A RECORD VOTE, THIS TIME THE SLANDERS STARTED COMING"

Köksal noted the following:

- Some marginal individuals in the party worked door-to-door to ensure I wouldn't win; nothing was done. I was elected with a record vote, and this time they started coming with slanders.

- They accused my husband, my colleague, and a manager I barely know of taking a 60 million bribe. The person who did this was the youth branch president whose request for the Yüntaş legal counsel position I had refused. We applied to the judiciary. In his statement, the person said that the one who provided his number to the press was Party Assembly member Y. G.

It is proven in the prosecutor's file; furthermore, this PM member Y.G. sent it to the women's branch president, and T.T., a teammate of Y.G., sent it to a former party member. We forwarded these to the headquarters. The judiciary issued a decision of non-prosecution, but the headquarters did nothing to this PM member; they even rewarded him in all the assemblies and took him back into the PM.

That wasn't enough; they made him the deputy to the Deputy Chairman responsible for organizations. The teammate of this PM member did not stop calling me a racist or a fascist on social media. I said, 'Discipline this man.' The current provincial chairman did not take any action, using excuses like the disciplinary board is not meeting. In fact, whoever has attacked me to this day, the only thing the current provincial chairman hasn't done is thank them. He has never stood by me on any issue.

Now he is a candidate again and is asking for votes by using my name because we won the municipality. When district chairmen tell him to do what is necessary regarding the district chairman who insulted me, he brushes it off by saying, 'It's unimportant, I don't see it.' He goes and poses grinning with that district chairman. Is this man my provincial chairman, is that so? Is this democracy?

Is insulting and slandering elected officials not disrespectful? It doesn't stop there; the man who writes that I am a racist fascist on social media is becoming a provincial chairman candidate with the support of PM member Y. G., so that he can bother me more and insult me.

They go to the district delegation and make empty promises to ask for votes. There is no sound from the headquarters, which goes with a single candidate everywhere, for Afyonkarahisar; in fact, the rumors I hear are that the provincial chairman candidate who insulted me is being supported. Why would there be 3 candidates here when there is a single candidate everywhere else? Perhaps if the candidate against Burcu Köksal wins, he can deal with her; maybe we can't defeat her in the elections, so we can defeat her by discrediting her.

"MY CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR, MY HEAD IS HELD HIGH"

Most recently, we were lynched over a nonsensical video taken at a restaurant. What wasn't written on troll accounts? Some wrote that the person in the video was my husband, others wrote '700 million bribe'; what scenarios were produced. Thank God, my conscience is clear and my head is held high.

We haven't done anything wrong to have a guilty conscience. Even on a matter that had nothing to do with us, slander was thrown; we defended our own rights, and there is still no sound from the party to which I have dedicated my life. Was my crime to work day and night and win the municipality after 74 years?

"WE WERE LEFT ALONE ON EVERY ISSUE"

We were left alone on every issue. How peaceful can a life be when you live without knowing what slander you will be subjected to tomorrow, what insults will be hurled, and not knowing which front you will be fighting on? I can understand your opponent in politics attacking you, but what about the attacks coming from within your own ranks?

"I WILL SETTLE SCORES WITH THOSE WHO DUG MY GRAVE AT THE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS"

On one hand, I am trying to provide service amidst all kinds of difficulties. On the other hand, I am dealing with these. It is not working or serving that tires me; the struggle inside and out is exhausting. The stones thrown by these hands never touch me. It is only the rose of a friend that wounds me. I do not want anyone to be subjected to slander and insults because of me anymore. I will be at the provincial congress on Sunday; I will settle scores with those who dug my grave, those who slandered and insulted me, and those who do not fear God and have no shame before people.