Murat Kurum addresses YRP, Saadet, Gelecek, and DEVA voters on live broadcast

Responding to questions about the agenda during a live broadcast on Akit TV, Kurum stated that continuous investments must be made in the city for the sake of the citizens' future.

Regarding IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Murat Kurum said, "We are facing a mayor who does not remember his promises, producing excuses like, 'I didn't remember that, I didn't make such a promise, I made it but couldn't start. The feasibility study was ready, it wasn't ready.' They used to say, 'We are being obstructed,' but these statements clearly show that they are not actually being obstructed. They themselves are unaware of what is happening.''

Upon being asked about İmamoğlu's statements, Kurum said, "KİPTAŞ is the organization that started social housing in Istanbul during our President's time. You could have done it too; you could have used the knowledge, skills, and capable staff there to build something. You won't produce, and then you say, 'He is a TOKİ person, he is this, he is that.'"

When reminded of İmamoğlu's comment in a TV program that "650 thousand houses are impossible. Even 100 thousand is too much in 5 years," Kurum spoke as follows:

"When the earthquake happened, we said, 'We will build our houses. We will start from Elazığ and Malatya and deliver them in 1 year.' They said, 'You can't finish it.' We finished it. There was an earthquake in İzmir. We said, 'We will carry out the biggest transformation in İzmir's history in Bayraklı in 1 year.' We did it.

There were floods in Kastamonu, Rize, Bartın, and Giresun, and districts were wiped out. We went, we gave our word. Now, thank God, our people are living there. In the disaster of the century, they said again, 'He can't do it.' They came and made all sorts of promises like 'We will do it for free' to confuse our nation's mind. We went to every province and district affected, and in 3 months, we laid the foundations for 180 thousand houses. On February 6, the delivery of those houses began.''

Pointing out that the same things were said for Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Marmaray, and the Northern Marmara Motorway, Kurum criticized, "If it were left to them, you wouldn't do any work, you would just sit and watch, and our citizens would wait for the earthquake. The transportation ordeal would increase even more. This is the management perspective, this is the understanding. Where does this understanding take us?"

"WE WILL REVIVE IT"

Kurum also answered the question about whether İSMEK would be revived in Istanbul as follows:

"We will revive İSMEK in a way that will operate in 39 districts. The industrialists I meet with say, 'We have problems regarding intermediate technical staff.' We will establish our İSMEKs that train intermediate technical staff in all industrial zones. We will provide that training to those who want to work as intermediate technical staff here, and we will certify them.''

When asked, "What are your current poll data?" Kurum replied, "We will win on the evening of March 31. We see this in the enthusiasm, excitement, and determination everywhere we go. The interest and love in the field show the natural poll. We are building on the point where we said we were 1-1.5 points ahead. There is currently a 1.8-point gap. Some research companies state that it is much higher than this. We will be winning a great victory by building on it and widening the gap."

KURUM ADDRESSED YRP, SAADET, GELECEK, AND DEVA VOTERS

When asked about his call to the New Welfare Party (YRP), which is entering the elections with its own candidates, and religious voters, Kurum said that they fought and won in the same alliance as the YRP in the May elections.

Emphasizing his belief that voters will make their decisions by looking at the picture before them on March 31, he said, "Our voters from the New Welfare Party, Saadet Party, Gelecek Party, and DEVA Party clearly know what it means to let the CHP win here. We believe that our nation will act at the ballot box by looking back at the past and thinking about who these votes benefit and how."

When it was stated that the CHP is trying to paint a "Kurdish-friendly" image of itself in Istanbul, Kurum noted the following:

"Is being Kurdish-friendly about exploiting our Kurdish and Alevi citizens, or is it about bringing services to places where our Kurdish and Alevi populations are concentrated? This is the politics we have been doing in the AK Party for 22 years; we considered all 85 million citizens living in 81 provinces our brothers. Today, all services in Hakkari, Şırnak, Diyarbakır, and Şanlıurfa have been implemented with the understanding that every citizen can access them equally. Being Kurdish-friendly means seeing every citizen as equal, and being able to provide equal service without separating or marginalizing anyone."

Emphasizing that he is a candidate for everyone's vote in Istanbul, Kurum answered the question, "Will you stop by the DEM Party's stand?" by saying, "I will stop by there and the other side as well. I will go to their associations and foundations. I am going to all the foundations and associations of our Alevi citizens."

Stating that his red line is "terrorism," Kurum said, "We are clear in our rhetoric against terrorism. Our stance against all kinds of terror hubs is clear. Everyone outside of terrorism is our brother."

"WE WILL HIRE ALL OUR BROTHERS"

Stating that the AKP handed over the municipality with approximately 79 thousand personnel in 2019 and that the number of personnel is 92 thousand 176 in 2024, Kurum said, "47 thousand people have been hired, 33 thousand 725 people have been fired. Now, are they all incompetent and unqualified? Their excuse is, 'They are not coming to work.' Well, you have 92 thousand personnel right now.

They all come to work and know the job. Is that why the metrobus lines are in that state? Is that why you cannot fulfill your promises?

We will hire all those brothers who were fired and cannot bring bread to their homes. We will not deprive anyone of their livelihood unjustly, as they did."