Kemal Kýlýçdaroðlu was today officially named the sole candidate for the leadership of Turkey’s main opposition party, the CHP (Republican People's Party).

Some 1,250 delegates are taking part this weekend at the convention which will elect the new president of the party after last week resignation by former leader Deniz Baykal over a sexual scandal.

Kýlýçdaroðlu, nicknamed “Turkey’s Gandhi,” had the support of 1,200 out of the total 1,250 delegates. The vote for the new leader will take place later today.

CHP’s former leader Deniz Baykal was not at a convention, it was noted this morning.Instead there was former Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit’s spouse, Rahþan Ecevit