13th Republican People's Party Extraordinary Convention

Antalya, the province from which Deniz Baykal is from and serves as a Member of Parliament

Baykal claimed that Sarıgül had failed to answer the corruption allegations made against him, which according to Baykal meant that Sarıgül had accepted them. In an attack against Sarıgül, Baykal stated, "you have money. I don't know who you've organised with that money but you can never organise the CHP." He further went on to claim that if the Turkish Republic respected the rule of law, then Sarıgül was obliged to answer to the allegations and sever relations with his party. He also claimed that in the event of Sarıgül not leaving the CHP, the party would take steps to remove him. In response to the aggression between rival party members, he also stated that he would continue serving as leader despite the difficult conditions, and that no-one could stop him or his supporters from speaking the truths. In another attack against Sarıgül, Baykal claimed that, "even your father, let alone you, cannot chase me away from this party, who do you think you are?"

Baykal was heckled by Sarıgül's supporters, who chanted "Baykal, don't make brothers fight brothers, you are a liar!" He responded to the hecklers by claiming that he was simply doing his job and that not a single page of a report published in regard to the Şişli municipality had been published, and that a mayor who had been accused of corruption had no right to attack the party leader and should instead "sit in his place."

In response to the alleged bribery of discipline tribunal members, Baykal stated that bribed had been made to the members by the Şişli municipality via Balıkesir. He claimed that Sarıgül was also an associate of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whom he alleged had visited Sarıgül prior to the 2004 local elections to discuss "local issues." Baykal questioned the motives of the Prime Minister, arguing that it was unlikely that a Prime Minister would visit a mayoral candidate simply to discuss "regional issues." He also stated that there was no corruption-linked account belonging to any of his children or wife.

Baykal spoke out in favour of the leadership election due to the fact that it would strengthen the party. However, he also stated that he would not allow bullying or banditry in his party. His speech was regularly met with boos and the party's council president Şinasi Öktem had to regularly intervene and call for calm. When slogans such as "fascists, out!" resulted in fights breaking out, Baykal had to pause for 15 minutes before resuming his speech, while Öktem threatened to call the police.

Baykal also criticised the intense media speculation and coverage of the convention, claiming that it was part of a plot to change the CHP's leadership and turn it into a "copy" of the AKP. He claimed that such media groups, who were allegedly biased in favour of the AKP, wanted to change the leadership not for the good of their party but instead to benefit themselves.[6]

The Şişli Municipality in İstanbul, where Sarıgül served as mayor for three terms between 1999 and 2014.

Initially prevented by Baykal's supporters from delivering his speech, Sarıgül was eventually allowed on stage, receiving boos from Baykal's supporters but applause from his own. In response to the allegations of corruption made by Baykal, Sarıgül responded by saying that he did not have a single judicial case opened against him and called on Baykal to consider the effects of such allegations on their children. He also recalled earlier events where Baykal was a strong supporter of Sarıgül's achievements as Mayor of Şişli.

In terms of the party's projects and policies, Sarıgül claimed that the lack of campaigning and interest in the Kurdish populated south-eastern region of Turkey was a sign that Baykal was only interested in protecting his friends and vested interests from election to election rather than trying to expand the party's electoral base. He stated that in the event of his election as party leader, he would form a shadow cabinet and travel the entire country with his shadow ministers.

Sarıgül also attacked Baykal on his electoral record, saying that he had failed to take the party into government for the last "10 to 15 years." He claimed that this was a reason for the loss of traditional centre-left support that had previously prevailed in former strongholds such as Antalya. Sarıgül also blamed the loss of the CHP's traditional ground on Baykal's "inner-party opposition." He further stated that the CHP was slowly eroding away under Baykal's leadership, and claimed that the convention would result in the expulsion of those who "had left the party below the election threshold" in reference to the party's performance in the 1999 general election.

During his speech, Baykal's supporters heckled Sarıgül by chanting the slogan, "the AKP [Justice and Development Party] is proud of you!" In response, Sarıgül said, "the AKP is proud of those who have failed to take the CHP into government!"[7]

The party council presidency was mainly contested by Şinasi Öktem, a supporter of Baykal and Şahap İnce, a supporter of Sarıgül. Öktem was eventually elected as council president.[1]