Rushdi al-Kikhya, one of the founders of the People's Party of Aleppo, pictured in 1932

At the time, Kikhiya was a member of the National Bloc. He resigned in 1939 proteting annexation of the Sanjak of Alexanderetta. In 1947, he founded the People's Party in Aleppo with his colleague Nazem al-Qudsi and in 1949, served briefly as Speaker of Parliament and one of the co-founders of the Constitution of 1950. He was offered the presidency in 1961 but declined, saying that he will not return to government office so long as officers are meddling the political affairs of Syria.