Erdoğan: Party organizations must act in line with People's Alliance

The Chairman of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned party members on Wednesday to respect and act in accordance with the necessities of the People's Alliance formed by the party and the Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP).

"Nobody can cross the line in the People's Alliance. All our friends and all the party organization must abide by the necessities of the People's Alliance," Erdoğan said during the party's presentation program for candidates in the March 31 local elections.

Mentioning the alliance as a long road, Erdoğan underscored that the fundamental objective of the alliance is not only to win the local elections on March 31, but to preserve the future and liberty of the nation.

"Inevitably, there will be different politics and different proposals for solutions from both parties. However, none of these neither did shadow the national interest, the spirit of the alliance, nor will shadow it," Erdoğan underlined.

Pointing out that he is sure the MHP will also display the same sensitivity on the matter, he added those who refuse to respect the alliance will have to leave the AK Party, referring to recent remarks of some party members.

Erdoğan's statements came following a feud between the party branches of northern Samsun province that eventually caused both the AK Party's and the MHP's provincial heads to be suspended. Accordingly, after the reported feud the AK Party spokesperson Ömer Çelik announced on Wednesday that Hakan Karaduman, Samsun provincial head of the party, was suspended from his duty due to his remarks, which conflicted with the principles of the People's Alliance. MHP authorities also dismissed Taner Tekin, the Samsun provincial head of the party and referred Erhan Usta, the MHP Samsun deputy, to the disciplinary board for their activities on the grounds of violating the alliance principles.

Both leaders of the party have been putting on emphasis on the alliance's main aim, which is to preserve the national security in the face of internal and foreign threats, and saying that they will continue to cooperate even after the local elections for this reason. In line with the alliance, MHP chairman Devlet Bahçeli previously announced that the MHP won't nominate mayor candidates in Turkey's largest cities of Istanbul, Ankara, and İzmir, but will instead support candidates of the AK Party.

The AK Party and the MHP first decided to form a political alliance in the previous June 24 elections. As a result, the alliance won 340 seats in Parliament, 290 by the AK Party and 50 by the MHP, while the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) acquired 144 seats.