Fatih Altaylı reveals Erdoğan's plan for Mansur Yavaş: 'The election campaign could start earlier'

Journalist Fatih Altaylı commented on the controversy that began following the news of Ebru Gündeş performing a concert in Ankara on October 29 Republic Day, and revealed "the AKP's Mansur Yavaş plan."

Altaylı made the following assessments:

'THEY HAVE STARTED TO REDUCE THE PRESSURE ON MANSUR YAVAŞ'

During the AK Party era, they spent approximately 256 million dollars in just two years, 2017 and 2018, which is about 9 billion TL in today's money. In other words, the municipalities under the AKP spent as much money in just one or two weeks as the Ankara Municipality spent in more than a year.

If you look at Istanbul, you will notice that the AKP has started to cut this back now. Why did they start cutting it back? They have started to reduce the pressure on Mansur Yavaş there.

'THE AKP'S MAIN PLAN IS TO SHOW YAVAŞ AS THE CANDIDATE OF THE CONSERVATIVES'

Because we all know that the AKP's main plan is to field Mansur Yavaş as the candidate for the conservative coalition—that is, parties outside the AKP; the IYI Party, the Victory Party, perhaps the New Welfare Party, perhaps the Future Party, and DEVA—if the CHP does not nominate him, and they want to siphon off some of Ekrem İmamoğlu's votes.

That is why it is not in the AKP's interest to wear Mansur Yavaş down too much today; therefore, regarding this concert issue, they might slowly dial it back, thinking, "Wait a minute, don't wear Mansur down too much, he needs to steal votes from Ekrem.”

If they don't reduce it, then Mansur Yavaş's presidential campaign will have started a bit early.

'THEY CANNOT CLEAR THE WAY FOR MANSUR YAVAŞ UNLESS EKREM İMAMOĞLU GIVES THE GREEN LIGHT'

If they nominate Mr. Mansur, this cannot happen without Ekrem İmamoğlu's approval on the matter. I know that Mansur Yavaş will not be nominated against Ekrem İmamoğlu's wishes.

Therefore, if Mansur Yavaş is nominated as a presidential candidate, know that Ekrem İmamoğlu has said, "Okay, Mr. Mansur can be the one." Otherwise, they cannot clear the way for Mansur Yavaş unless Ekrem İmamoğlu gives the green light; it is very clear.