Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies Bihlun Tamayligil and Savci Sayan (R) cry as their leader Deniz Baykal (not pictured) addresses the media in Ankara May 10, 2010. Baykal resigned on Monday saying he was the victim of a conspiracy following the release of a videotape on the Internet purporting to show him and a woman in a bedroom. Baykal said the ruling party – the AK Party, whose roots lie in political Islam – must have had knowledge of the videotape.? Read more »REUTERS/Stringe
Deniz Baykal seems to have accused AKP, the ruling party, when he resigned but a simple observation of the process shows that he was dethroned by his own “side”… On Thursday a videotape emerged at Vakit‘s website. Although Vakit is an Islamist newspaper and framed the news accordingly, other Islamist dailies were quick to accuse Vakit of being manipulated. In the next day, not the Islamist newspapers such as Yeni Şafak, Zaman or anti-secularist and militantly liberal Taraf but the mainstream secularist dailies such as Vatan headlined the videotape issue. On the same day, CHP administration accused Mustafa Sarıgül who seems to be the main opponent to Baykal’s regime within CHP circles (although Mr. Sarıgül has been expelled from the party). In the next days, many pro-CHP columnists attacked Baykal and implied the veracity of the tape. Apparently, it was time to go for Baykal and in a way betrayed by his own men in an orchestrated campaign…
The leader of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deniz Baykal (C) is surrounded by his supporters as he leaves the party headquarters in Ankara May 10, 2010.REUTERS/Stringer
