controversy has risen over alleged links between the chp and the exiled cleric fethullah gülen, who was formerly an akp ally who withdrew support from erdoğan in 2013. amid allegations that gülen had considered the chp as a possible means of maintaining political influence in turkey despite staunch differences in ideology, the chp has come under increasing fire by the government and its own supporters for alleged collaborations with gülen, who was once a fierce critic of the chp. i̇zmir mp birgül ayman güler resigned from the chp in january 2015, accusing the chp of collaborating with gülen during the 2014 local elections. in february, chp deputy leader sezgin tanrıkulu applied to the ministry of justice for a permit to visit hidayet karaca in silivri prison. karaca, who is the head of the pro-gülen samanyolu tv, was taken into custody in 2014 for allegedly establishing a terrorist organisation. the party has also supported bank asya, a pro-gülen bank that the akp government attempted to shut down in 2014.