Kilicdaroglu to be announced as opposition's presidential candidate

Main opposition CHP (Republican People’s Party) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu will be announced as the opposition bloc's joint presidential candidate of the opposition bloc on Monday afternoon, after a critical meeting without the nationalist component Good Party, whose leader left the alliance on Friday quit the alliance, rejecting Kilicdaroglu's candidacy, prominent journalist Ismail Saymaz wrote on Monday.

Saymaz, who is close to CHP sources, wrote on Twitter that the Nation Alliance of the opposition will convene at 14.00 at the headquarters of the Felicity Party and after the meeting, the candidacy of CHP Chair Kilicdaroglu will be announced.

Saymaz said the opening ceremony of Kilicdaroglu's election campaign will take place on March 10, after the elections are officially called by President Erdogan.

Good Party leader Meral Aksener on Friday announced her party's withdrawal from the opposition Nation Alliance, saying they would not bow to pressure to accept Kilicdaroglu as the opposition's joint candidate.

But she could return to the table, journalist Sevilay Yilman said on Halk TV, if Kilicdaroglu stopped insisting on running.

"If Kilicdaroglu accepts what the nation says, I will not be proud, I will return to the table," Yilman quoted Aksener.