Another Turkish lawmaker from ruling party resigned on Tuesday over a high-level corruption scandal, further shaking Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s grip on power.

Another Turkish lawmaker from ruling party resigned on Tuesday over a high-level corruption scandal, further shaking Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's grip on power.

Hasan Hami Yildirim had criticised the government for exerting pressure on the judiciary over the graft investigation, which has plunged Turkey into political turmoil just three months ahead of key elections.

A string of public figures including high-profile businessmen and the sons of three ministers were detained on December 17 over allegations of bribery for construction projects as well as illicit money transfers to sanctions-hit Iran.

Five MPs including a former culture minister have resigned from the AKP since the raids, which the government has suggested were instigated by supporters of an influential US-based Turkish cleric. 

Erdogan was also forced into a major cabinet reshuffle after the resignation last week of three ministers whose sons were implicated in the probe.

The corruption scandal has exposed a seething feud between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and a former ally, influential Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose supporters hold key positions in the police and the judiciary.
The latest resignation has reduced the number of AKP seats in parliament to 320 out of 550.

The government is set for a key test in March local elections, which will be followed by an August presidential vote and parliamentary elections in 2015.
"It was not an easy decision," Yildirim was quoted as saying by the Hurriyet newspaper.

"I wish that the views and opinions I expressed were taken into consideration but I saw that if I stayed in the party I would have been subject to more criticism and I could not take that."