Turkey: Ruling party candidate casts vote in Istanbul

By Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's ruling party mayoral candidate Binali Yildirim on Sunday cast his vote in Istanbul's election re-run.

"I heartily believe Istanbulites will surely make the best decision," Yildirim told reporters following his vote in Istanbul's Tuzla district.

"For Istanbul to become a global city, elections are an important opportunity to apply the experiences we have gained throughout the country," he added.

Yildirim also apologized for "knowingly or unknowingly" making any mistakes.

"Today is the time to quit resentment and focus on the future," he said.

Yildirim along with his wife Semiha Yildirim and two grandchildren also greeted people who had gathered outside the polling station.

Yildirim vies to run the metropolitan municipality of Turkey's most populous city after a previous vote on March 31 was annulled by the country's top election council last month.

Millions of Turkish voters cast their votes nationwide on March 31 in local elections to choose mayors, city council members, mukhtars (neighborhood officials), and members of elder councils for the next five years.