▁As ▁the ▁Director ▁of ▁ İ DO , ▁Y ı ld ı r ı m ▁established ▁a ▁close ▁relationship ▁to ▁Re cep ▁T ay y ip ▁Er do ğ an , ▁who ▁served ▁as ▁ İ stan bul ' s ▁Mayor ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁When ▁the ▁latter ▁led ▁efforts ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁new ▁moder ate ▁conserv ative ▁dem ocr atic ▁political ▁party ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Y ı ld ı r ı m ▁joined ▁Er do ğ an ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Justice ▁and ▁Development ▁Party ▁( AK P ). ▁He ▁was ▁subsequently ▁field ed ▁as ▁a ▁parliament ary ▁candidate ▁for ▁ İ stan bul ' s ▁first ▁elect oral ▁district ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁general ▁election ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁following ▁the ▁party ' s ▁lands lide ▁victory . ▁ ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁Elect ed ▁as ▁a ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁for ▁ İ stan bul ' s ▁first ▁elect oral ▁district ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁general ▁election , ▁he ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁as ▁an ▁MP ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁general ▁election ▁as ▁a ▁candidate ▁from ▁his ▁home ▁province ▁of ▁Erz in can . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁he ▁stated ▁that ▁his ▁name ▁was ▁of ▁Ale vi ▁origin ▁and ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁work ▁hard ▁for ▁the ▁A K P ▁to ▁field ▁Ale vi ▁candidates ▁in ▁the ▁up coming ▁election , ▁in ▁response