14.03.2025 17:10
After the appointment of Hasan Yel to the position of Konya Provincial Chair by the Headquarters of the New Welfare Party, it was announced that two mayors have resigned. The YRP Headquarters also reported that the two mayors have been referred to disciplinary action with a request for their expulsion.
Mehmet Aydın, the Mayor of Çumra, and Mesut Mertcan, the Mayor of Emirgazi, announced that they have resigned from the New Welfare Party in Konya.
"OUR OPINIONS HAVE NOT BEEN CONSIDERED"
In his statement, Çumra Mayor Mehmet Aydın said, "Although our General Chairman stated that 'consultations will be held', our opinions were not taken into account in the election of the provincial chairmanship. A meeting was held at the Ankara headquarters to rectify the process, but no results were obtained. Therefore, I am resigning from the New Welfare Party. We will continue to work for Çumra," he stated.
Emirgazi Mayor Mesut Mertcan also announced his resignation, saying, "During the provincial chairmanship election process, the opinions of the districts were not taken into account, and our voices were ignored. Our efforts to correct this mistake did not yield results. Therefore, I am resigning from the New Welfare Party. From now on, we will continue our path independently."
The New Welfare Party announced that Mesut Mertcan, the Mayor of Emirgazi, and Mehmet Aydın, the Mayor of Çumra, who are described as the stronghold of the AK Party in Konya, have been referred to the High Disciplinary Board with a request for their expulsion due to "acting against the party's principles and disciplinary rules."
CONTROVERSIAL APPOINTMENT
The New Welfare Party appointed Hasan Yel as the provincial chairman of the party, replacing Mehmet Kösoğlu, who was penalized for "manipulating the tender" during his tenure as the Deputy General Manager of KOSKİ at the Konya Metropolitan Municipality. This appointment was met with backlash from the party organizations and party-affiliated mayors in the province.
3 MAYORS HAD RESIGNED BEFORE
In the March 31 Local Elections, the mayors of Doğanhisar, Sarayönü, and Altınekin, who were elected as candidates from the New Welfare list, had previously resigned and joined the AK Party.