TWO people were shot dead at a polling station as Turkey’s local elections turned into a bloodbath today with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s brutal regime moving against political opponents.

The two men, supporters of the Saadet Party, were killed by supporters of Mr Erdogan after a dispute in the eastern Turkish city of Malatya.

Turkey’s authoritarian leader claimed to be “saddened” by the shootings and ordered an investigation, however, violence has been a feature of elections in recent years.

Last years presidential and parliamentary elections saw supporters of Mr Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Partry (AKP) acting as “political mafia” when five people were killed and at least nine injured in the border town of Suruc in Urfa province for supporting the opposition People’s Democratic Party (HDP).

Fingers were pointed at Mr Erdogan who was secretly filmed at a meeting telling supporters: “You know who is in your neighbourhoods, do what is necessary,” to keep the HDP below the 10 per cent barrier necessary to break through in order to have MPs elected to parliament.

The HDP went into today’s election under the Kurdish slogan “Ya Me Ye,” meaning “It’s ours.”  

They were hoping to regain control of the ninety-five municipalities stolen by the government who arrested 94 elected co-mayors, replacing them with trustees loyal to Mr Erdogan.

HDP Van province candidate Bedia Ozgokce Ertan was confident of success thanking supporters for their “extraordinary efforts” as she cast her vote, hopeful of a future of “freedom, democracy and justice.”

Polls suggested voters may look to punish the AKP over its poor running of the economy and oppressive measures against citizens. 

Mr Erdogan’s party looked set to lose key cities including Istanbul and Ankara, where Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate Mansur Yavas was ahead in the polls.