Devlet Bahçeli, the chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) expressed confidently Thursday that the People's Alliance would triumph in the March 31 local elections.

The People's Alliance was formed by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the MHP.

"The March 31 local elections have historic importance. We will awe those who try to set a snare for the People's Alliance with the spirit of the national struggle," Bahçeli said yesterday in a press briefing held after the MHP provincial heads' meeting.

Underlining that the alliance of the AK Party and MHP serves the national interest of the country, Bahçeli stressed that the People's Alliance would lead the nation to prevent new July 15 coup attempts from happening and to defend national security from threats. "We will never bow, sacrifice and back down and never give up," he highlighted.

On July 15, 2016, the Gülenist Terror Group led by Fetullah Gülen, attempted to topple the democratically-elected government with a vicious coup attempt through its followers who had infiltrated the military. The attempt was foiled with the resistance of millions of citizens who poured onto the streets and pro-democracy military officers.

He also emphasized that the People's Alliance success in the upcoming elections is an essential necessity for the consolidation and confirmation of the previous success of the alliance in the June 24 parliamentary and presidential elections.

Touching upon the new presidential system, Bahçeli stated that that transition into the democratic system with the approval of the national will during such a time when the country was fighting against internal and external terrorism and threats was an extraordinary achievement.

Noting that the alliance focuses on two main political objectives, Bahçeli indicated that their first political goal will be ensuring the new presidential system's strengthening in the March elections, while their second political aim will be warding off national security threats.

Both leaders of the party have been emphasizing the alliance's main aim, which is to preserve national security in the face of internal and foreign threats, saying that they will continue to cooperate even after the local elections for this reason. In line with the alliance, Bahçeli previously announced that the MHP won't nominate mayoral 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 June 24 elections. As a result, the alliance won 340 seats in Parliament, 290 by the AK Party and 50 by the MHP, while their presidential candidate, incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, also won the election by 52.6 percent of the vote.

Meanwhile, MHP disciplinary board on Wednesday voted to dismiss Erhan Usta, the Samsun provincial head of the party, on the grounds of "remarks damaging the People's Alliance existence and continuation." Usta was referred to the board after he had asserted that the sharing of provinces in negotiations between AK Party and MHP was unequal and the alliance is not indispensable.

Both party leaders have long been advising their party members to respect and act in accordance with the necessities of the alliance and warning that those who refuse to respect the alliance will have to face the consequences.