Erdogan starts AK Party campaign for next month's local elections

At a mass weekend rally attended by thousands in Kocaeli, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan started his Justice and Development Party's (AK Party) campaign for local elections late next month. Addressing the rally, Erdogan accused the traditional secularist main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) of hypocrisy, pointing to recent CHP moves such as courting women wearing chadors and vowing to open Koran courses across the country. These are welcome developments, he said, but then cited how last year state prosecutors sought to close the AK Party last year over its push to lift the university headscarf ban. Alleging the presence of a double standard and accusing the CHP of vote-pandering, Erdogan said, "No doubt those who sought to close the AK Party are aware of the CHP's moves. In the elections, the public will give them what's coming to them." He also charged the CHP had raised tension and spread smears, adding that it has nothing to offer the people.