A leading figure in the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) became the first opposition lawmaker to join Turkey's caretaker government Wednesday, Anadolu agency reported.
Tugrul Turkes, whose father founded the party, accepted Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's invitation to join the Cabinet, a source in Davutoglu's office told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity.
His recruitment comes despite MHP Chairman Devlet Bahceli's refusal to take part in an interim administration in the run-up to November's general election.
The source said Davutoglu and Turkes spoke by telephone Wednesday. No decision has been made on the Cabinet position Turkes will be offered.
A senior MHP official severely reacted to Turkes' decision to join the interim government.
"If he does not issue his resignation, we will refer him to the discipline committee [to expel him from the party]" MHP Deputy Chairman Semih Yalcin said.
Other MHP lawmakers have turned down offers to join a Cabinet that will be dominated by Davutoglu's Justice and Development (AK) Party, including Ahmet Kenan Tanrikulu, who resigned as the party's deputy chairman in response to Davutoglu's offer, and Meral Aksener.
Davutoglu offered 11 Cabinet posts to opposition lawmakers from the MHP, the Republican People's Party (CHP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) on Wednesday.
CHP lawmakers Tekin Bingol and Erdogan Toprak told Anadolu Agency they had turned down the offers, refusing the serve the "political ambitions" of others. Their party leadership has also announced it will not take part in the provisional government.
Responses are due by 6 p.m. local time (1500GMT) on Thursday.
There are 25 Cabinet portfolios available. Three positions -- justice, interior and transport -- are expected to be filled by independent candidates while 11 ministries will go to the AK Party, five to the CHP and three each to the MHP and HDP.
The administration will oversee Turkey as it approaches a rerun of the June 7 general election.