Thousands rally behind Özel in defiant Ankara protest

Turkey's ousted opposition leader Ozgur Ozel showed he can still command strong support on Saturday, drawing a crowd of thousands in Ankara despite a court ruling that removed him from office and dealt a blow to President Tayyip Erdogan's challengers.

After addressing supporters - estimated in the tens of thousands by the private Anka news agency and media outlets close to the opposition - Ozel led a march through the capital following last week's ruling that removed him as leader of the main opposition CHP.

The court annulled the CHP's 2023 party congress, effectively reinstating former chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu - a divisive figure within the party who lost to Erdogan in an election earlier that year. 

The move could boost Erdogan's chances of extending his more than two-decade rule of the NATO member country and major emerging market economy.

On Saturday, Kilicdaroglu visited the CHP party headquarters for the first time since the May 21 ruling and pledged to purge the party of corruption, referring to cases involving CHP-run municipalities. 

The ousted leadership denies the allegations, calling them politically motivated, a charge the government rejects.

As Kilicdaroglu spoke, Ozel addressed a bigger crowd in front of the party's Ankara provincial office. 

"This is not an internal matter for the CHP," Ozel said. "This is a matter between Erdogan and the nation. On one side are the seized buildings; on the other, millions standing up for their party and their country."

He said the court ruling did not legitimise Kilicdaroglu's leadership and called for an immediate party congress, as supporters chanted "Leader Ozgur!" and "Traitor Kemal!"

He then led a peaceful march to the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey and the CHP.

Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, seen as an alternative CHP presidential candidate to jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu - still considered Erdogan's biggest political rival - also joined the protest and called for a congress.