Erdogan condemns rival Kilicdaroglu over 'Russian interference' claim

ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised his opponent Kemal Kilicdaroglu for claiming without evidence that Moscow is meddling in Turkey's upcoming elections on Sunday. Erdogan asserted that the West, and not Russia, was "manipulating the elections in Turkey," reported Russia Today.

Erdogan told a crowd of supporters in Istanbul, "[Kilicdaroglu said that] Russia is manipulating the elections in Turkey. Shame on you!"

Kilicdaroglu, in a Twitter post on Friday, accused the country's "Russian friends" of being "behind the montages, conspiracies, deep fakes and tapes that were exposed in this country yesterday."

"Get your hands off the Turkish state," he warned the supposed Russian meddlers, according to Russia Today.

Kilicdaroglu most likely made reference to the release of a video purportedly showing Muharrem Ince, another presidential candidate, having an extramarital affair. On Thursday, Ince announced his withdrawal from the race, accusing supporters of exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose political movement Ankara alleges was responsible for a failed coup in 2016.

There is no proof that Russia was involved in the creation or release of the audio, and the Kremlin stated that it "firmly rejects" Kilicdaroglu's assertions.

"If I say 'America is manipulating the elections in Turkey, Germany is manipulating it, France is manipulating it, England is manipulating it,' what would you say?" Erdogan said, addressing his remarks to Kilicdaroglu.

Erdogan did not attempt to link the exposure of Ince's sex tape to any of the Western nations he cited, but Suleyman Soylu, his interior minister, did.

"It is clear who produced it," he told on Friday to CNN Turk, as quoted by Russia Today. "The perpetrators are the Gulen movement and the US."

Asserting that "America has been interfering in this election from the very beginning," Soylu claimed in an effort to exclude Ince from contention and sway his supporters to Kilicdaroglu.

Erdogan, however, did accuse Western media organisations of attempting to sway Turkish public opinion against him, Russia Today reported.

Earlier on Thursday, Muharrem Ince, Turkish presidential candidate, has withdrawn his name from the race, giving a potential boost to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, reported CNN.

Ince had low polling figures and opposition leaders were scared that he would divide the anti-Erdogan votes.

"I am pulling out of this race. I am doing this for my country," Ince said at a press conference in Ankara, adding that he had faced a "slander campaign." His name will, however, remain on the ballot, according to CNN.

Referring to the main opposition, he said, "I do not want them to blame me when they lose."

His centrist party, Homeland, will continue to compete for seats in the parliamentary race. "I urge each household to give Homeland Party at least one vote," he appealed.

No one of the other contenders received Ince's support, as per CNN.

In 2018 polls, the 59-year-old Ince fought against Erdogan. He left Kilicdaroglu's Republican People's Party (CHP) in March this year and entered the presidential contest.

Erdogan expressed his regret at Ince's withdrawal during a rally in Ankara, saying that it is "impossible to understand why" he did so.

Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu are anticipated to run a close race in the election, and pollsters anticipate record voter turnout.