As speculations swirl in Turkish media about the controversial Gülen Movement allegedly trying to seize the chairmanship of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the party's current chairman, Devlet Bahçeli, yesterday labeled one of the dissidents inside the party as Fethullah Gülen's political figure without identifying who he or she was. Speaking to journalists after the weekly party meeting in Parliament, Bahçeli said, "Thirteen fellow members declared their candidacy for chairmanship. One of them does not have such a right because he [Sinan Oğan] was expelled. Then, there is one candidate who joined the MHP as the political figure of the Fethullah Gülen Movement."His remark landed like a bombshell and sparked controversy as well as confusion among party grassroots.After Bahçeli added fuel to the flames of a controversial discussion regarding which dissident has strong ties with the Gülen Movement, eyes turned to former MHP deputy Meral Akşener, who signaled her candidacy for MHP chairmanship on Monday. "My friends and I are prepared to take any responsibility put on our shoulders by the idealistic will," she said.Later on Tuesday, Akşener responded to Bahçeli's remark even though he did not openly or explicitly name her. "Everyone knows that I have no ties with any movement or group and I do not commit my will to third parties," she said. Oğan was also not late to respond to Bahçeli. Regarding the confusion about whether he can run for the chairmanship or not, Koray Aydın ruled out Bahçeli's claim, and said: "I am a member [of the MHP]."Fethullah Gülen's lawyer was the last addition to the string of statements on Tuesday. In a written statement, he said: "This accusation is not correct, and my client, directly or indirectly, is not pertinent to the issue of candidacy for chairmanship, which is an internal matter of the MHP."Having speculated in his columns that the Gülen Movement has embarked on a plan to seize the MHP, Türkiye daily columnist Fuat Uğur spoke to Daily Sabah following Bahçeli's striking statement. Stressing that it is Akşener who Bahçeli points to as Gülen's political figure inside the MHP, Uğur said: "It cannot be Aydın, otherwise Bahçeli wouldn't have assigned him as deputy chairman. Oğan is also under Gülen's guidance and he does not deny it, yet he cannot run for chairmanship. Akşener has been taken hostage by the Gülen Movement, and it seems like it is Akşener who Bahçeli points to."Underscoring that Bahçeli and the MHP have been the most negatively affected ones by the Gülen Movement's publishing of videos to blackmail MHP members, Uğur argued that Bahçeli has adopted a balanced policy toward it for fear of his and the party's sake. "Bahçeli had a 250-page report prepared about the infiltration of the Gülen Movement into his party. The movement is still a threat to the MHP; therefore, he has adopted a balanced policy so far," he said.Uğur went on to contend that Bahçeli does not defy Aydın while waging an internal war against the Gülenists in order for him to run the MHP should he lose his chairmanship position.When asked about whether Bahçeli would take a more supportive stance for the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in its fight against the Gülen Movement, Uğur predicted that he will harshen his tone if the movement continues to hit the MHP hard. "The MHP gave signals of [more support for the AK Party] when Bahçeli openly said he definitively supports the decision to down the Russian military jet," he added.Özcan Yeniçeri, a former MHP Ankara deputy, also spoke to Daily Sabah about Bahçeli's controversial statement. Stressing his disbelief in such an accusation, Yeniçeri said: "I don't think anybody has infiltrated the MHP. Akşener's attitude has been obvious. It is not decent to use all kinds of methods in politics."Yeniçeri also expressed his sadness over such incidents inside the party. "Such infiltrations can take place in any party but not in the MHP," he said.