CHP Istanbul chair Kaftancıoğlu to step down from her position
Main opposition CHP Istanbul chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu told journalist Fatih Altaylı that she will leave her position after 1.5 months and added that she will be relieved after doing that.
Duvar English
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul provincial chairwoman Canan Kaftancıoğlu on July 20 told renowned journalist Fatih Altaylı that she will step down from her position after 1.5 months.
Responsing to the claims that she removed district chairs for being close to CHP Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Kaftancıoğlu said she only removed 3 district chairs during her 5-year tenure.
“What they accuse me of now is the dismissal of Beykoz district chair Aydın Düzgün for so-called being opposition (within the party). Lie. Mr. Aydın worked hard for the signature campaign of Muharrem İnce. If I was going to dismiss him (for this reason) then I would do (at this time). A month and a half ago, I dismissed him for a reason that he and many people in the party know. His dismissal has nothing to do with being close to Mayor Ekrem. Is he the only district chair in Istanbul close to Ekrem İmamoğlu? There are many more. Why didn't I dismiss them,” Kaftancıoğlu told Altaylı.
In his column dated-July 21, Altaylı said they also talked about the leaked Zoom meeting footage attended by Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and CHP executives who demand change within the party.
“What I understand from (Kaftancıoğlu’s) long explanation is that she thought 'Change is necessary (within the party), but not with these names'. She accuses Ekrem İmamoğlu of not being clear and being sneaky. However, (Kaftancıoğlu) agrees with me that Ekrem İmamoğlu is currently the most powerful political figure the CHP has. But she doesn't think he'll be a good leader,” Altaylı said.
“When I say that İmamoğlu and she formed a good duo team during the 2019 local election period, she agreed. When I asked her why she was facing İmamoğlu now, she did not hesitate to tell the whole process off the record. I understand that it was not a single event, but a series of events. (She said there are) promises that were not kept and principles that were not adhered to,” Altaylı added.
Altaylı lastly said Kaftancıoğlu “is relieved that she will leave her position and has become politically banned. CHP exhausted her.”