MHP leader Bahçeli’s statement hits CHP leader Özel hard, but gives a message to President Erdoğan: İmamoğlu’s case must end urgently. Bahçeli is seen with Ahen, the daughter of MHP MP Zuhal Karakoç Dora, who visited him to give the good news on April 12, after winning a tennis tournament. (Photo: X/ZuhalKarakoç)
On April 14, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli made one of his astonishing statements that echoed in Turkish politics. Bahçeli seemed to have hidden the “biggest radishes” (*) among the paragraphs of accusations that the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was “seeking chaos”. While Bahçeli’s written statement was delivering a blow to CHP leader Özgür Özel, it was like an open letter to the AKP leader and President Tayyip Erdoğan, with the main idea of ‘Ekrem İmamoğlu case must end as soon as possible’. Bahçeli was showing his left and hitting with his right.
Bahçeli and his radishes
Those two radishes, ie those two sentences, which Bahçeli hid like a timed bomb between the heavy words against Özel and the CHP administration, which he called “foreign occupation front”, that Özel would not be able make a difference and lead the country to elections even if he “collected 100 million signatures” with his “spoiled and unconscious” politics. Here is what Bahçeli said:
– “The court proceedings regarding Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is in Silivri Prison due to the allegations of theft, bribery, and corruption surrounding the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, should be discussed and resolved urgently.
– “The stages of the prosecution must be completed by adding witness statements, clear and authentic evidence and other information, documents and findings to the case file in full, and if the accused Ekrem İmamoğlu is innocent, his acquittal, if not, his punishment must be ensured as soon as possible by the public conscience.”
The expression “time bomb” is related to the expression “urgently”; the MHP leader is discussing a dynamic situation against time.
Two phrases in the sentences above are two friendly warnings to the AKP: one is the phrase “clear and authentic evidence” and the other is the condition of “acquittal if innocent”.
Asap, whether he is guilty or not
For the first time, the MHP leader voiced the possibility that İmamoğlu could be innocent.
Therefore, he demands that the necessary action be taken as soon as possible, whether İmamoğlu is guilty or innocent.
And from whom does he demand it? Is it from the Turkish judiciary, which Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç repeats every other day, that it is independent? If so, I don’t think an investigation will be opened against Bahçeli for interfering with the judiciary.
Or is Bahçeli demanding this from Erdoğan, his People’s Front ally, and wants him to intervene in the judicial process? Bahçeli, in line with the principle of “constructive ambiguity” attributed to Henry Kissinger, avoids being “explicit”.
But Bahçeli, whether from Erdoğan or the judiciary, wants İmamoğlu’s innocence or guilt to be determined as soon as possible. Before more police vehicles are towed in front of high schools, before the left fists of young people worried about their future at universities are raised together with nationalist youth with Grey Wolf signs, before the CHP starts to represent more and more for opposition voices other than its own, and before attention shifts more from the Kurdish initiative, of which Bahçeli is the insigator, to the demands for democracy and justice in the framework of İmamoğlu’s arrest…
No radishes left in the saddlebag?
Bahçeli means that if there is “clear and authentic” evidence, the People’s Alliance would benefit from convicting İmamoğlu as soon as possible, preferably appointing a trustee to the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality and even to the CHP, without further delay, allegedly due to some suspects on the run. But if there is no such evidence and the indictment has been prepared with fabricated “secret witness” statements, it may also be beneficial for the People’s Alliance to release İmamoğlu. Otherwise, İmamoğlu is getting stronger while he is in prison. His university diploma is cancelled, he lost his chair, his freedom, but he could not be dropped from the political equation as the main rival of Erdoğan.
It is also interesting that the surprise statement of Bahçeli came after journalist Deniz Zeyrek’s reporting on April 14 that President Erdoğan had asked the people who were in charge of the İmamoğlu file, “I thought your file was very strong?” was echoed in political circles. Likewise, the denial of the Communications Directorate that the President had asked such a question came after Bahçeli’s statement…
The question remains valid: Despite İmamoğlu’s arrest, has the “clear and authentic” evidence that was sought and that made Erdoğan say “real radishes are on their way” still not been found?
If so, why aren’t the bigger radishes still being exposed to the public? What is the time to wait for, and if not, why is it being prolonged? This is actually what Bahçeli is asking.
And what is more interesting?
Do you know what is at least as interesting as a statement and a sign that the developments show the discomfort within the AKP? The answer is that the İmamoğlu statement of Bahçeli did not appear on the front pages of the AKP-leaning newspapers, Hürriyet, Sabah, Yeni Şafak, and Türkiye. Milliyet reported it on its front page, towards the end of it as a short story; better than nothing. Pro-AKP Akit and Akşam, like the pro-MHP Türkgün, published Bahçeli’s statement with the headline “CHP is after chaos”.
There is intense activity behind closed doors in Ankara.
Note
(*) “The biggest radish is at the bottom of the saddlebag” used to be a Turkish proverb frequently said by former President Süleyman Demirel to describe a situation where there is more to come in politics.
