MHP head congratulates Erdoğan on poll success

Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has congratulated President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his success in Sunday’s elections.

Bahçeli -- Erdoğan’s electoral partner in the People’s Alliance -- made a telephone call to Erdoğan Sunday night as unofficial results show Erdoğan leading the presidential election with around 78 percent of the vote counted, said sources familiar with the matter who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Unofficial results show Erdoğan won 54.4 percent of the vote, with his closest rival Muharrem Ince with 29.8 percent as of 9.45 pm local time (1845GMT).

His ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party is also leading in parliamentary elections with 44.1 percent of the vote counted.

Along with the MHP, the AK Party’s election ally, the People's Alliance has 55.57 percent of the vote so far.