PETALING JAYA: Rafizi Ramli (pic) has upped the ante in his scathing attack on Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, claiming the former Selangor mentri besar travelled to Turkey to demand for the post of PKR president.

The PKR deputy presidential candidate alleged that Azmin met Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to discuss the party’s top job.

According to Rafizi, Azmin met Anwar, who was receiving medical treatment there, asking him to step aside.

“Anwar was about to go for surgery, and he went to meet him to say ‘You don’t have to contest, let me become the party president.’

“But Anwar stressed that he would contest.

“If this story wasn’t true, I would not say it live like this,” he was quoted as saying by a news portal during a ceramah at the “Reformasi 20 Tahun” programme in Kota Baru on Friday night.

Rafizi said this incident was not out in the open but it was “common knowledge” among party members.

He also claimed Anwar’s path to contesting the PKR presidency was not as clear-cut.

Earlier last month, Anwar won the PKR presidency uncontested.

The party polls will take place next month and the results will be announced in November.

Meanwhile, Azmin’s political secretary, Hilman Idham, rubbished Rafizi’s claims.

He said Azmin did go to Turkey but at the instruction of Anwar.

“No one was allowed to meet Anwar during and after his surgery except for family members.

“Apart from them, only Azmin was allowed.

“If Azmin really had wanted to meet Anwar, he would not have agreed to the meeting. What Rafizi is saying is impossible,” Hilman was quoted as saying.