Striking claim from AKP figure: "Özgür Özel does not want İmamoğlu to win the election"

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel stated at a rally he attended, "We are asking for votes from those who love Turkey. Not from those who flee to paid military service.

We are asking for votes from those who are willing to give their lives for this homeland if necessary," and later clarified that these words were directed at figures from the government side.

Guest on the 'Gürkan Hacır'la Taksim Meydanı' program on tv100, Millet Haber Ajansı Editor-in-Chief Sinan Burhan said that he had a meeting with AKP Deputy Chairman Mustafa Elitaş and that during this meeting, Elitaş made a striking claim about İmamoğlu.

Burhan recounted his meeting with Elitaş with the following words:

We had a meeting with AKP Deputy Chairman Mustafa Elitaş. The statement made by Mr. Mustafa Elitaş is as follows; 

"If Özgür Özel said the words about paid military service out of negligence, this is a major gaffe. 

If he did not say it as a gaffe, then İmamoğlu also did paid military service, and the lawyer he nominated from Çankaya also did paid military service.

Based on these statements by Özel, he does not want İmamoğlu to win the election. It is not just Kılıçdaroğlu; Özgür Özel also does not want İmamoğlu to win the election."

'RABBIT CANDIDATE' CLAIMS

Barış Yarkadaş also conveyed his meeting with DEM Party's Istanbul co-mayoral candidate Meral Danış Beştaş with the following words:

I called Meral Danış Beştaş today. I said, “What is happening? Are you in the field? Because there are criticisms that you are a 'rabbit candidate' [a spoiler candidate].” She said, “We are doing very well, our people are both very happy and very hopeful. With our candidacy, excitement has come to Istanbul.”

BEŞTAŞ: WE ARE WATCHING WITH A LAUGH

I said, “There are some claims that you are a 'rabbit candidate'.” She said, “We are watching these with a laugh. I don't know if I am a rabbit or something else, but these friends apparently know.”

I asked, “What percentage are you aiming to get?” She said, “I don't want to give a percentage, but I expect us to get a significant number of votes. We are continuing our work intensively in all regions.” She categorically rejected the 'rabbit candidate' claim.

News Source: 12punto