“HDP equals people. If you criminalize a party for the sake of competition and political ambition, then you have nothing to say to the society. Political parties determine their working methods as per the framework of the law," HDP’s deputy head in parliament Ayhan Bilgen said on Monday, Rudaw reported.
Erdogan claimed during an interview on Sunday that: “The HDP is equal to the PKK, YPG, and PYD,” referring to the armed and military arms of the dominant party in northern Syria or Rojava. “There is no point in deviating it to the right and the left. It is crystal clear.”
Bilgen added that his party “as the support of 6 million voters and only their voters can judge them.”
"If the HDP is on the wrong path, or if it does something wrong, then it will be replied in the ballot box,” he said.
The HDP has repeatedly denied links to the PKK, choosing to be known as a pro-Kurdish and leftist party.
When peace between the PKK and Turkish state failed fell last fell apart, Ankara requested that the HDP act as mediators. Since then, dozens of HDP leaders and lawmakers have been jailed on terror-related charges, including former co-chair Selahattin Demirtas.
Turkey is set to hold provincial and municipal elections on March 31.
Erdogan is head of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The support of many Kurds, particularly in metropolitan areas, boosted the AKP’s performance in last year’s constitutional referendum and presidential election.
Some Kurds, particularly in poorer and disenfranchised areas of the south and southeast, see this year’s elections as a referendum on the AKP.
Seven Kurdish parties have pledged to support the HDP in the upcoming election, hoping to regain many municipal posts lost when the AKP appointed trustees to the positions following the previous election.
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