Erdoğan Denies Meeting with Senior CHP Member

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President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has spoken about the claims that he was visited by a senior member of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

Rahmi Turan, a columnist for daily Sözcü, claimed in his article on Wednesday that the CHP member visited Erdoğan at the Presidential Complex on November 9. Erdoğan told him that "he should be the chairperson of the CHP for national security," according to Turan.

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While the CHP officials accused the AKP of "trying to divide" their party, senior government figures denied that such a meeting happened.

CHP Chair Kılıçdaroğlu said the claims might be true and "some names popped in his head" when he read the article, but didn't give a name.

Speaking on the issue for the first time, Erdoğan today said that he would resign as the president if it was proved that the meeting happened. He also called on Kılıçdaroğlu to resign as the party leader if cannot prove that the meeting happened.

"Look, I address you from İzmir, the province where you are a deputy from," Erdoğan said, adding that "If you don't prove, shove off and the CHP will be saved from this liar. But he can't." (HA/VK)