HDP (People’s Democratic Party) deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder has announced his candidacy for his party’s nomination for the Istanbul mayoralty in the upcoming local elections. “I’m a nominee to be a candidate for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality” Önder said to CNN Türk on Sunday. “We will clarify the candidacy criteria, - he added -the local government approach and nominations by getting together with our party, forums, the Gezi Platform and leftist components.”

Elections will take place on 31 March 2014. Önder will race with Justice and Development Party (AKP) Kadir Topbaş and Şişli Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül, who will most likely run for the office.

Sarıgül has been in Şişli municipality for three consecutive terms since 1999, and recently rejoined the Republican People’s Party (CHP) ranks in the hopes of becoming the party’s nominee for the hot seat.