Murat Kurum reveals the latest poll results he has. 'In a process where we started behind...'

Murat Kurum answered questions from Gürkan Hacır, Cansu Canan Özgen, and Başak Şengül on the 'Special Interview' program broadcast on tv100.

Highlights from the statements of AKP's Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate Murat Kurum:

"FRIENDSHIP AND BROTHERHOOD CONTINUED"

We are conducting an intensive campaign process. We have gone everywhere in Istanbul, meeting with our citizens and shopkeepers. Turkey knows me from my time as a minister. I served all 81 provinces. My mayoral candidacy started this way as well. After working in the earthquake zone during the disaster of the century, when I became a parliamentary candidate in Istanbul, our citizens said when they saw me, 'our man in the blue jacket has arrived'.

That relationship of friendship and brotherhood there continued when we came here. In the field, I was met with words like 'we will make our president president again, and we will make you the mayor of Istanbul' during the May elections. We started our work at the request of our nation.

"PEOPLE WANT SOMEONE LIKE THEMSELVES"

The bond of affection grew every day. We built our campaign on this. I am who I am; everyone knows our sincerity. We acted with this feeling everywhere we went. We did not compromise our sincerity. I tried to be myself in a sincere way; I am like this in the past, today, and tomorrow. People want someone like themselves wherever we go. Istanbulites are looking for a salvation. They are looking for the salvation of living in peace.

"WE ARE AHEAD BY MORE THAN 2 POINTS!"

In a process where we started behind, by the 15th or 20th day of the campaign, we reached a neck-and-neck situation. Then we moved half a point ahead. My colleagues conducted a poll today. We are 3 points ahead in the raw data. When distributed, it appears to be over 2 points. The situation on the ground is measured by polls every 3-4 days. We will win this election on the evening of March 31. We will start our duty on the morning of April 1. We are seeking the votes of everyone in Istanbul.

We will bring the service that the people of Istanbul have been waiting for. No one will lose; we aspire to be a friend and companion to everyone. We will work with this understanding.

We dream of an Istanbul where everyone lives in peace and happiness, without traffic and without the fear of earthquakes. We will work for it. Our vote share has reached 44 percent. Our opponent appears to be at 42 percent. This is with the undecided voters distributed. There will be a different result at the ballot box. I believe the gap will widen.

"THERE IS AN EXCUSE-BASED MUNICIPALITY"

When the people of Istanbul look back at the last 5 years, there is no service to remember. There is an excuse-based municipality displayed by an incompetent administration. What do you want from an IMM Mayor? You want service. You do not want the IMM Mayor to go around 80 provinces holding rallies for a vice-presidency.

You expect them to be by your side in the nation's difficult moments; you do not expect them to be on vacation. The people of Istanbul have seen this for 5 years. The politics of excuses and the politics of 'we are being blocked' have no resonance with the nation.

They are coming to the agenda with towers of money and bundles of cash. A mayor comes out and says they will fulfill these promises. In the current process, when asked about these, one is met with the response, 'I don't remember.' 

"THE VOTER WILL DECIDE AT THE BALLOT BOX"

I have put my effort and sweat into every province. I have served with sweat on my brow. We have friends in every province. When our voters go to the ballot box, should they believe in excuses or facts? Should they believe in works or polemics?

Should they vote for someone who is constantly arguing with the president, or for a candidate who does not hide behind excuses? The voters will decide this at the ballot box. 70-80 percent of the undecided will turn to those who do their job with merit. Can anyone criticize my work? They cannot. They say, 'If Murat Kurum did it in the past, he will do it again.' When we make this comparison, there is a world of difference. 

"THE NEW WELFARE PARTY KNOWS THIS TOO"

The New Welfare Party (Yeniden Refah Partisi) voters were within the People's Alliance (Cumhur İttifakı). We charted a path together for the Century of Turkey. We struggled together. In the current process, they have also nominated their own candidates. In the current process, Istanbul was Erbakan's dream. His dream was to protect this trust in the best way possible and pass it on to future generations. This election will take place between 2 candidates.

Parties will not be fighting for survival based on the votes received in this election. The New Welfare Party knows this too. This is a local election. We will serve everyone.

We will realize the cause of a great and powerful Turkey. Our voters know the hardship they have been subjected to. They know the service they have received from CHP municipalism. They also know that nothing but excuses have been produced in this 5-year period. Our New Welfare Party voters will express their will at the ballot box. The issue is the future of Istanbul. Everyone who thinks about the future of Istanbul should support the teams that produce works.

"IT WILL BENEFIT THE CHP CANDIDATE"

Erbakan would have wanted the chains of Hagia Sophia to be broken more than anyone else. This has happened. When New Welfare Party voters go to the ballot box, will they support those who say 'let the chains be broken and let it be a mosque' or those who say 'let it be a museum'? They will think about this. In the end, taking a piece away from the People's Alliance will benefit the CHP candidate. I do not think the New Welfare Party voters would want this. What does CHP co-chairman Özgür Özel say? He views our children who go to Quran courses as a medieval mentality. Will they support a mentality that views these children as a medieval mentality? 

"THEY STABBED THEIR GENERAL CHAIR IN THE BACK"

Özgür Özel did not come to the head of the CHP by his own will. We saw the work done with delegates at the congress using IMM resources, the design efforts made through secret Zoom meetings, and the attempts to sideline people through dirty alliances... While Istanbul was waiting, we saw the process regarding how their attention was given to the party congress and how it was designed. They stabbed their own general chair in the back. These people are someone's puppets. Their concern is not Istanbul; their concern is to topple Erdoğan. Erdoğan was elected, my friend. They are constantly trying to talk back to our President. You cannot put yourself in that position. Your job is to produce. 

"I WILL USE THE OPPORTUNITY"

Should I not consult with our president who was elected with 52 percent, and instead go consult with foreign ambassadors at a fish restaurant while it's snowing, like he does? I will go and consult with whichever minister I need to. I will use this opportunity. Why should I talk back? Whatever Istanbul lacks, I will go and get it. All the ministers are my friends. 

“EARTHQUAKE IS A SECURITY ISSUE”

Regarding the earthquake, all our scientists today say that there are 1.5 million risky residences in Istanbul and that 600,000 need to be transformed urgently. If Istanbul is a locomotive city, if Istanbul is a city that concerns not only itself but all of Turkey, we have to prepare Istanbul for an earthquake. We have such a reality, and this is not even a political preference. It has to be our common preference. The earthquake is a national security issue. I say 600,000 residences should be transformed, the CHP mayor says they shouldn't be. They have filed 1,500 lawsuits against us to stop urban transformation. The ones filing the lawsuits are the CHP members. Not a single one of the TOKİ residences we built in 11 provinces collapsed. 

"WE WILL CONTRIBUTE WITH 300,000 RESIDENCES"

We want to carry out a transformation that will go down in history and be the salvation of Istanbul. We will build 60,000 of these residences every year, totaling 300,000 in 5 years, through KİPTAŞ. And we had launched the 'Half is on us' campaign in May; now that campaign continues through our ministry, and we will contribute to this campaign with 300,000 residences through the metropolitan municipality. We will give our citizens 700,000 in grants, 700,000 in loans, and 100,000 in moving and rent assistance, and our citizens will be able to pay this off with installments starting from 5,833 TL. We will deliver them in 18 months. 

"HE MUST HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SLEEP OUT OF FEAR OF IMAMOGLU"

Responding to Sengul's question, "Imamoglu says, 'They belittle the restaurants, yet there are those who need this. When Mr. Kurum said that, I couldn't sleep,'" Kurum replied, "He must have been unable to sleep out of fear. He is so anxious that when he sees the field and the polls, he asks 'Where?' whenever he hears the name Murat; he might even change his advisor's name."