As it seeks to win any vote it can, the opposition bloc challenging incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan finds itself supported by circles aligned with terrorist groups.

The bloc's promises to return people linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) to their jobs they were dismissed from won the hearts of FETÖ members, while a visit by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the bloc's presidential candidate, to the pro-PKK Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has upset even those in the alliance, particularly the nationalist Good Party (IP).

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday spoke about the issue and criticized the bloc for "covertly" cooperating with the HDP, which he said clearly proved its cooperation by not nominating a presidential candidate. He said the HDP is equal to the PKK terrorist group and its Syrian offshoot – the YPG. He continued by saying that the PKK terrorist ringleaders in Mount Qandil are the masterminds of the HDP's requests and that they have openly said that the "table for six" gives them hope.

Speaking to broadcaster NTV during a live interview, Erdoğan said the HDP has always been the "seventh member" in the "table for six" alliance. "They were not at the table but they were rather under it (directing the bloc's member parties). Eventually, they fully joined the table. The CHP and the HDP have common interests," he said.

"We spoke to the public about that. We said the HDP equals the YPG/PKK. The public should now consider what the CHP's position is in this equation. The public should review their opinion of parties in this 'table for seven,'" he said.

Erdoğan also said he trusted the nation for being "national." "They cannot be guided by a mindset that is a puppet of imperialism managed from abroad. This nation deserves a real national administration, not an imperialist mindset," he said.

Erdoğan also referred to the HDP's involvement in the notorious 2014 riots that led to killings across Türkiye. "Who killed our Kurdish son Yasin Börü? Those who are in prison now guided (killers) and we lost 51 people," Erdoğan said, referring to Selahattin Demirtaş, the HDP's jailed chairperson.

Yasin Börü, Hasan Gökguz, Ahmet Dakak and Riyat Güneş became symbols of the PKK's first large-scale campaign of terrorism, conducted under the guise of riots. Sixteen-year-old Börü was the youngest of the victims. Their killings were particularly gruesome, even compared to past massacres by the PKK. The four young men, who were visiting neighborhoods to distribute meat to the poor on the occasion of Kurban Bayram (Eid al-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice), took refuge in a residential building, only to be cornered by an angry mob targeting them for religious work. They beat and tossed the victims off the upper floors. Dakak’s head was crushed by stones, while rioters ran over Börü after defenestrating him. Their bodies were burned and barely recognizable.

"My Kurdish brothers and sisters will definitely hold those responsible accountable. They still shout 'freedom.' They should not speak about freedom. We will be held accountable if we release those who paved the way for killings," Erdoğan said, in reference to the HDP's calls for the release of Demirtaş, as well as Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed PKK leader.

"One of the HDP co-chairs said after their meeting with Kılıçdaroğlu that they discussed their future plans. What are their plans? Their plans are to stop anti-PKK counterterrorism operations and implement instructions from Qandil. The HDP has no other plan. This is the party the 'table for six' engaged in talks with. Kılıçdaroğlu is a promising candidate for PKK leaders," Erdoğan stated.

The president mentioned remarks of Meral Akşener, leader of the Good Party (IP) – the second biggest member of the opposition bloc – that they would not allow the HDP or its proposals to be brought to the "table for six." "But the HDP, with all its presence, sat at this gambling table. It openly says what they would ask in return for support. They are instructed by Qandil on what they should ask from the opposition bloc in return for support. But the nation knows this game and will teach them their lesson on May 14," Erdoğan confidently said.

Commenting on a fiery speech by IP lawmaker Yavuz Ağıralioğlu on Wednesday that echoed the sentiment of more nationalist members of the IP over an alliance with HDP, Erdoğan said it was important that some among those in the bloc finally "saw the truth and spoke about it."

"We always knew that this table is not a table based on principles, and none among the alliance trusted each other and were conspiring against each other. Meral Akşener described it earlier as a gamblers' table and they would not act as a rubber stamp in the alliance. They are engaged in every kind of deception and we will see in the coming days who will fall out with whom. Ağıralioğlu, a renowned nationalist politician who serves as a lawmaker for IP representing Istanbul, lashed out at the opposition bloc his party is aligned with, over talks with the HDP. Ağıralioğlu held a news conference at Parliament on Wednesday where he was expected to resign from his party but shied away from stepping down. Yet, his was the harshest rhetoric against the CHP from the IP," Erdoğan said.

"Not everything can be justified to win an election," Ağıralioğlu said in reference to the HDP talks. "We will not be under the shadow of terrorism," Ağıralioğlu confirmed.

"We will be glad if we can have the vote of citizens who previously voted for the HDP, but all we see are leaders of the HDP who refer to the state as a 'murderer.'

"They made this honorable seat (of the Presidency) a bargaining chip in the hands of separatists," Ağıralioğlu said, using a term for the PKK. He also said the IP was "humiliated" and the CHP violated an agreement that is used as a road map for the post-election process by the six-party opposition bloc.

He added that the IP was "ambushed" by the opposition bloc and slammed the "trolls" of other opposition parties they were aligned with for "insults" targeting the IP after Akşener initially announced that she would leave the bloc. Akşener returned to the bloc she disagreed with over the nomination of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu after the bloc pledged to appoint two other candidates the IP endorsed as vice presidents of Kılıçdaroğlu in case of an election victory.

People's Alliance

Erdoğan said the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) led People's Alliance would welcome new members if their ideologies are in line with the bloc. "We would welcome new additions to the People's Alliance if there are any," Erdoğan said.

He highlighted that his alliance focuses on principles rather than negotiations over seats. "Our door is open to all political parties with domestic and national political ideology and is at peace with the values of the people," he said.

"We are confident that the People's Alliance will be victorious in the elections," he said.

Erdoğan also dismissed the opposition's allegations that the Free Cause Party (HÜDA-PAR) had links to terrorism, describing the claims as "ugly."

"We only ally with groups adhering to the principles of our alliance. I value HÜDA-PAR's support to the alliance," he said.

On a question on parliamentary elections and whether the majority of lawmakers serving in the AK Party will be nominated again, Erdoğan said they always "need to refresh and initiate new beginnings." He said political experience was key to success.

The president also highlighted that the ministers of the current government, consisting mostly of bureaucrats or former lawmakers, will be nominated for parliamentary seats, especially from big cities. He added that Vice President Fuat Oktay will be nominated from a constituency in the capital Ankara.

His main rival, Kılıçdaroğlu, is considering having seven vice presidents, each representing the parties of the opposition bloc. On a question of whether he would increase the number of vice presidents, Erdoğan said this will not be the case.

Asked about his other rival, Muharrem Ince, who first challenged Erdoğan in the 2018 elections and now runs independently of his former party CHP, Erdoğan said he won't engage in any debate "with Mr. Ince." "But I would like to remind you again of his famous words. 'You stood against him, and he defeated you. You stood again, and he defeated you again.'" Ince famously said this in a message addressed to Kılıçdaroğlu when he sought to unseat the politician as party leader in 2015. Ince personally lost to Kılıçdaroğlu and, later, to Erdoğan in the presidential vote of 2018.

"He has had his fair share of defeat," Erdoğan said about Ince.

Türkiye to punish those responsible for deaths in quakes

Noting that Turkish prosecutors launched legal action against 1,364 suspects and detained 302 as part of investigations following the Feb. 6 earthquakes, Erdoğan said perpetrators will be held accountable for negligence.

He also said that his government is determined to ensure that all citizens live in safe buildings constructed in line with earthquake regulations and will speed up the urban transformation process.

"Hopefully the CHP and their partners have learned their lesson after this earthquake and will refrain from opposing urban transformation projects," he said.

Erdoğan to discuss Black Sea grain deal with Putin

The president also said he will speak over the phone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin soon to discuss the Black Sea grain initiative.

"We will schedule a phone call with Putin in two or three days," Erdoğan said.

He said that the world appreciates Türkiye's mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine.

Last July, Türkiye, the U.N., Russia and Ukraine signed a deal in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.

Erdoğan announced the deal's extension on Saturday, one day before it was slated to lapse.

The president also recalled Putin's offer of sending grain to poor countries free of charge.

He added that Türkiye is preparing to buy Russian wheat to turn it into flour and dispatch it to poor countries.

"(Together with Putin), we will take our steps in this area as well," Erdoğan said.