While awaiting the indictment, CHP makes a counter-attack: “Not defense, but attack.”

As indictments related to investigations into CHP-run municipalities await, the CHP is preparing to respond to the "brick-and-mortar indictment" propaganda with its legal and communications strategy. CHP officials describe their preparations as "We will not remain defensive; we will be aggressive," while efforts are underway to explain the "allegations and facts" in coordination with headquarters and the Presidential Candidate Office.
The CHP Central Executive Board (MYK) convened on Monday, October 13th, and included the Brussels rally, the ceasefire between Israel and Palestine, foreign policy, which is a hot topic, party program work, the new peace process commission, the 2026 budget expected to be submitted to Parliament this week, and the ongoing congress calendar on its agenda .
The Central Executive Committee (MYK) also had indictments to be prepared for the imprisoned mayors. The indictment for the investigation into Aziz İhsan Aktaş, the alleged leader of a criminal organization, and the Beşiktaş Municipality will be finalized in the coming days. While the claim of a 2,000-page indictment has been reported in the press, the CHP is preparing a response to these allegations.
In November, the indictment in the corruption investigation against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu is expected. It is reported that the indictment in the terrorism investigation, in which İmamoğlu is accused of involvement in the "city reconciliation," will be prepared separately.
The CHP is preparing to "move from defense to attack" in response to the forthcoming indictments. The "lies and truths" surrounding the allegations will be made public. Furthermore, the work being done will be conveyed to neighborhood representatives, ensuring their on-the-ground reporting.
According to information obtained by Medyascope , the General Headquarters and the Presidential Candidates' Office are continuing their work on this issue. Speakers have already been selected on certain topics for the media event to be held following the completion of the indictment.
CHP officials described their work as follows: "We will not only hold them accountable, but we will also demand accountability. If this trial is directed at local governments, we will also show who should have been tried by now. We will not remain defensive; we will be aggressive. We have been preparing everything since Erdoğan's time as mayor."
The staff noted that they will also disclose files on which prosecutors' offices have not yet processed and which have not been made public until now, and that they will share municipalities' expenditures by comparing them with previous periods.
Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) officials, regarding the request for an investigation into Mansur Yavaş as an indication that operations against the municipality will continue, said, "There is nothing legally possible, but the government may bring it forward because it is running a political process."
Meanwhile, the CHP's congressional calendar is also progressing. District congresses have been completed, and provincial congresses will be completed by October 22nd. Before the October 24th hearing in the ongoing nullity case alleging dubious status in the 2023 congress, the CHP will have completed its provincial congresses and completely renewed its congress delegates.
Before the hearing, the Party Assembly (PM) is expected to convene and announce the date of the 39th Ordinary Congress. According to the party's bylaws, the congress, which the PM can decide on at least 30 days in advance, is planned for late November or early December.
Preparations are underway to hold the congress at the Ankara Arena Sports Hall, which has a capacity of over 10,000 people. The regular congress will begin on Friday with a vote on the program changes, followed by the general chairman election on Saturday, and the PM and High Disciplinary Board elections on Sunday.
Party organizations have largely reached a consensus and gone to provincial congresses with single candidates. It has been reported that headquarters has not yet experienced any problems in any province, and it has also been stated that Central Executive Committee members will serve on the council at metropolitan congresses.
Provincial congresses will be held in Izmir on October 17, Ankara on October 18, and Istanbul on October 19. Deputy Group Chair Murat Emir, Central Executive Committee members Ensar Aytekin and Gökan Zeybek will serve as council chairmen in each of the three metropolitan cities. İzmir Provincial Chair Şenol Aslanoğlu, Ankara Provincial Chair Ümit Erkol, and Istanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik are expected to be the sole candidates for re-election.
İzmir Provincial Chairman Şenol Aslanoğlu, who was arrested as part of the İZBETON A.Ş. investigation and released on house arrest, will be running for reelection . CHP officials stated that the İzmir Provincial Organization was working on another candidate, but Chairman Özgür Özel wanted Aslanoğlu to run again.
The staff, stating that Özel wanted to defend Aslanoğlu and demonstrated a significant level of loyalty, said, "Why should we hand over our friends to the courts? He was against us in the past, but now we support him. The Chairman's stance is also very important in terms of conveying the General Headquarters' perspective."
Parliament's budget marathon will begin with the 2026 budget bill, which will be submitted to the Speaker's Office on October 17. Budget discussions will take place in the Planning and Budget Committee, followed by the General Assembly. Özel also emphasized the budget discussions at the parliamentary retreat in Bolu.
Describing the budget marathon as "Parliament's sole reason for existence during this period and one of the periods when the opposition is at its most effective," CHP staff members reported that shadow ministers are also making preparations in their own areas.
CHP Deputy Parliamentary Group Chair Murat Emir briefed the Central Executive Committee on the work of the Turkish Grand National Assembly's National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Commission. The commission will continue its efforts to listen to diverse segments of society this week on October 16th, with meetings with women's and youth organizations. Next week, National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Director İbrahim Kalın, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, and National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler will meet for a second time before the commission.
The commission, which will complete its hearings with these individuals, will focus on drafting legislation. However, there has recently been discussion about whether the commission will go to İmralı. While the CHP emphasized that the process should continue within the parliamentary framework, party officials emphasized that discussions about going to İmralı were not on the Central Executive Committee's agenda.
Medyascope