Turkey’s CHP sends its lawmaker to disciplinary board

By Mehmet Tosun and Baris Gundogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has opened Wednesday a disciplinary proceeding against its lawmaker Fikri Saglam for his criticism on the party's leader.

Talking to journalists following the party’s Central Executive Board meeting in Ankara, the CHP's spokesperson Selin Sayek Boke said a request for a disciplinary investigation against Saglam was sent to the party's assembly.

She said that the request to investigate the lawmaker was taken "by unanimous vote" at Wednesday meeting over his recent statements on media, adding that the CHP's assembly would decide whether to initiate probe against Saglam, who is the party’s deputy from Mersin.

Later in the evening, the party's chairman Keman Kilicdaroglu called an extraordinary meeting of the party assembly on Sunday to discuss the issue.

Saglam, who is a leading figure of the intraparty opposition, was quoted by the daily Aksam newspaper as saying: "Kemal Kılıcdaroglu is not allowing any decisions to be taken in the party assembly. We discuss things for 6-7 hours but he gives his decision according to what is whispered in his ear."

"Kılıcdaroglu made propaganda during the referendum campaign by saying 'we are against one man rule', but he became the one man," he added.

According to CHP's charter, the assembly could request the High Disciplinary Board against its any member for temporary dismissal, permanent dismissal, reprimand or just warning.

- CHP holds ordinary congress

On the occasion, the CHP's deputy chairman Tekin Bingol told journalists in the party’s headquarters that they have decided to initiate an ordinary party congress to elect the party’s new leader.

"With the decision taken in the MYK (Central Executive Board), we have started the usual congress process as of today," he said, adding that the party assembly will decide on the dates.

He hit back at the rumors on holding an extraordinary congress, saying, "there is no extraordinary congress on our agenda, adding that: “We started our usual congress calendar today. "

In the last year’s congress, Kilicdaroglu was the only candidate for the party leadership. He got 990 votes from 1,238 party assembly members.