Turkey's MHP dissidents announce leadership congress

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) will hold an extraordinary congress next month to challenge party leader Devlet Bahceli, dissident members said Monday.

In a statement, the dissidents said the congress will be held on June 19 at Ankara’s Buyuk Anadolu Hotel.

The meeting is to be held in an attempt to unseat Bahceli, chairman of the MHP since 1997, following the party’s poor performance in the November general election.

Party members opposed to his leadership have been fighting since January to stage a congress. On May 15, police prevented members from holding a meeting in Ankara before the Supreme Court upheld an earlier court decision to allow the congress.

"Our party will hold an extraordinary congress along with an election on July 10, 2016, Sunday, at the Ankara Arena Sports Hall," Bahceli said in a written statement issued on Wednesday.

He also made it clear that he will remain in the race for the top slot. "Whoever declares to run for the MHP chair, he or she will have to compete with me."