It was widely discussed before the elections: The person in the prayer rug photo receives a new role in CHP

Ali Acar, who was present in the photo where Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was seen standing on a prayer rug with his shoes on before the 2023 Presidential elections, has been appointed as the CHP Sultangazi District Chair.

Acar's new role came to the agenda as part of the changes made by the CHP in its district organizations in Istanbul. The photo in question had been one of the prominent topics of political debate during the election campaign period.

IT HAD CREATED CONTROVERSY BEFORE THE ELECTION

The controversy began with a frame taken after an iftar program organized by the Istanbul Platform during the month of Ramadan in 2023. Kılıçdaroğlu, the then-CHP Chairman and Presidential candidate of the Nation Alliance, was seen in the photo on a prayer rug with his shoes on.

Following the spread of the photo on social media, reactions against Kılıçdaroğlu increased, and Kılıçdaroğlu stated that he had not noticed the prayer rug and was sorry for what had happened.

ACAR HAD ALSO MADE A STATEMENT

Ali Acar, who was next to Kılıçdaroğlu in the photo, had also responded to the criticisms at the time. Acar stated that the room was dim, that he thought what was on the floor was an "antique rug" rather than a prayer rug, and requested that the full footage be released, noting that there was a camera in the room.

It was noted that Ali Acar was previously the CHP's mayoral candidate for Sultangazi in the 2014 local elections and served as the CHP İstanbul Provincial Vice Chair in 2018.