CHP left shaken by leaked video of İmamoğlu-led dissident group

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has been jolted by a leaked video of an online meeting between Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and prominent CHP officials who were discussing ways to hold an extraordinary convention to unseat party leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

"At a time when our works for holding the convention of our party are progressing rapidly, we don't approve unethical meetings that don't comply with the traditions of our party and don't respect the hierarchy," Faik Öztrak, the deputy leader and spokesman of the CHP, told reporters late on July 19.

The leaked 15-minute video shows İmamoğlu and several CHP officials who were once closest aides to Kılıçdaroğlu discussing their preparations for an extraordinary convention. Following the defeat of Kılıçdaroğlu in the presidential race against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the May 28 polls, İmamoğlu started a movement for change in the party leadership.

Kılıçdaroğlu, however, underlined the upcoming municipal elections and hinted that a convention will be held following the polls that will take place on March 31, 2024.

"We are not against a race [for leadership]. But we don't approve of causing damage to our party," Öztrak said, adding the party management was unaware of the meeting.

For his part, İmamoğlu defended the meeting and said it was not a secret one. "We will probe on how it was leaked," he said, stressing that he was talking on the issues of the CHP with the officials of the party.

"There is nothing more natural than this. I can tell that we held around 200 meetings like this one after the elections," İmamoğlu said.