Turkey's upbeat Kilicdaroglu says election will bring a new spring

FILE PHOTO: Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu addresses his supporters during a rally to oppose the conviction and political ban of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a popular rival to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey, in Istanbul, Turkey, December 15, 2022. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo

ANKARA (Reuters) - He is not as charismatic as Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan, but mild-mannered Kemal Kilicdaroglu is optimistic about his chances of beating Erdogan in Sunday's election, promising a new spring after two decades of his rival's tumultuous governance.

Long stuck in the shadow of Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted AK Party (AKP), opposition leader Kilicdaroglu has flourished on the campaign trail with polls showing he has a slight lead.