Pointing to Özel's remark: 'A elective convention could take place in the CHP'

Following CHP Chairman Özgür Özel's announcement that the Extraordinary Convention will convene on September 6-9 to discuss charter amendments, it has been claimed that the convention could become an elective one.

Sözcü columnist Saygı Öztürk noted that since Özel made the decision using his authority as chairman, it is within his initiative to add an election item to the agenda, even if the convention was originally intended for charter amendments. "Since this convention is being held by the decision of the chairman, adding an election item is left to Özgür Özel's initiative," he said.

Pointing to Özel's statement, "I made this decision so that there wouldn't be claims that 'they did this to avoid adding an election item,' which would damage the party and create the perception of a non-existent concern..." as an example of the possibility that an election item could be added to the convention agenda, the relevant section of Öztürk's column is as follows:

'IN THE CHP, NEVER SAY NEVER'

"If you ask whether a simple majority would emerge from that convention if an election item were added, it is useful to look at the numbers from the previous convention. From this perspective, it seems difficult... But this does not mean that the extraordinary convention process has ended.

Indeed, opposition delegates had found enough signatures for a charter amendment and decided to convene an Extraordinary Convention in March 2012. To preempt this, the chairman also decided to hold an Extraordinary Convention on February 28, 2012. Since all of the opposition's demands, except for articles 1-5, were met at the convention convened by the chairman, the convention in March concluded by simply opening and closing.

CHP Elazığ Deputy Gürsel Erol had said, 'The comments that the upcoming charter convention will be turned into an elective convention and that our 7th Chairman, Mr. Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, is working toward this are not true.' When I asked Kılıçdaroğlu about this statement, he said, 'That is the deputy's personal opinion. I am not commenting.'

It seems that in the CHP, 'never' is not really 'never'..."

News Source: 12punto