By Burcu Calik

ANKARA 

As the countdown for Turkey’s local government polls -- set to be held on March 31 -- began on Tuesday, Turkish president announced names of mayoral candidates for 22 districts of capital Ankara.

In a meeting held in Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is also chairman of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, said his party would support opposition Nationalist Movement Party’s (MHP) candidates in three districts of the city.

Party and MHP are expected to support each other’s candidates in some districts and provinces, while the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Good (IYI) Party are expected to make same arrangement.

The ruling Party has so far announced its 74 provincial mayoral candidates, while the CHP has announced 36 candidates, the MHP 34 candidates, and the IYI Party 15 candidates.

The AK Party has nominated Mehmet Ozhaseki, its deputy chairman and a former environment and urbanization minister, for mayor of capital Ankara in the upcoming election.

The CHP, meanwhile, has nominated Mansur Yavas as their Ankara mayoral candidate.

Turkish local polls are held every five years to elect mayors of 30 metropolitan municipalities and 51 provincial municipalities.

Along with metropolitan, provincial and district mayors, voters will also elect municipal council members in cities and -- in rural areas -- muhtars and members of elder councils.

The last local elections were held in March 30, 2014, which saw the AK Party clinch more than 45.5 percent of the vote.