Fatih Erbakan reveals the truth: Erdoğan called YRP members and invited them to the AKP! Allegations of pressure and blackmail

New Welfare Party (YRP) Chairman Fatih Erbakan met with Ankara representatives of media organizations ahead of his party's 3rd Ordinary Grand Congress to evaluate developments on the agenda.

Erbakan made striking statements regarding the transfers of mayors from his party to the AKP.

Erbakan interpreted the transition of some New Welfare Party mayors to the AKP as "President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan personally calling and inviting them." Erbakan stated the following:

"The President is personally conducting these operations. There are mayors of ours whom he called and invited directly. Here, mayors are being moved from one party to another, especially to the ruling party, through benefits, pressure, threats, or political blackmail. The President attaches great importance to this issue. Because he sees that the ruling power is in a process of melting away, and they are carrying out this work to mask this erosion."

ALLEGATIONS OF PRESSURE AND BLACKMAIL

Continuing his remarks, Erbakan claimed that the mayors who joined the AKP "faced serious political blackmail." Stating that "this situation is not only valid for New Welfare Party mayors but also for CHP mayors," Erbakan gave the examples of Beykoz and Aydın, saying, "CHP mayors are also being subjected to similar pressures."

Erbakan stated that this process is a strategy aimed at the AKP's efforts to maintain its power.

WILL IT MERGE WITH THE FELICITY PARTY?

Fatih Erbakan stated that no negotiations have been held regarding a merger between the Felicity Party (Saadet Partisi) and the New Welfare Party. "Such a topic has not come to the agenda. Of course, this is not an easy task," said Erbakan, expressing that while there has been more exchange of ideas on the subject of an alliance, no steps have been taken regarding a merger for now.