Calcutta, May 9: The NSCN (I-M) today clarified that it had no objection to former Union home secretary K. Padmanabhaiah being a member of the Centre’s team for the Naga peace talks, but stuck to its demand for appointment of a political leader as chief interlocutor.

V.S. Atem, a former kilonser (minister) in the NSCN (I-M) hierarchy, told The Telegraph while passing through the city that his outfit had always believed that a bureaucrat could not do justice to the chief interlocutor’s role in the peace process. “Padmanabhaiah can continue as a member of Delhi’s negotiating team, though not as...

Shillong, May 9: The United Democratic Party (UDP) today elected Meghalaya deputy chief minister Donkupar Roy as party president, triggering strong protests from supporters of outgoing president and former chief minister, E.K. Mawlong.

Refusing to accept Roy as president, Mawlong’s supporters threatened to quit the party.

Addressing newsmen after the election, which was conducted at the fourth general council meeting of the UDP, Roy said the decision to remove Mawlong was unanimous.

“If there was any objection, it should have been raised during the election,” he said.

Ruling out the UDP’s...

KOHIMA, May 8 – The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (IM) said it was committed to “peaceful means for solution” to the more-than-half-a-century old Indo-Naga political problem but lamented that “Indians’ commitment leaves much to be desired despite assurances” reports NEPS. In an exclusive interview to a Netherlands based national daily that made available to North East Press Service Tuesday, General Secretary of the NSCN (IM) Thuingaleng Muivah, however, asserted that the unification of “Naga territories” and their national identities were “non-negotiable. “In other words, the...

Guwahati, May 8: Alarmed by the apparent change in Nagaland?s demography, a youth organisation has served ?quit notices? on Bangladeshi migrants in the state.

Neighbouring Assam, for which illegal migration is an even bigger problem, has sounded an ?alert? along the inter-state border to prevent the fleeing migrants from entering its territory.

The anti-migrant campaign in Nagaland, which police say has been launched by the Kohima-based Lisami Youth Organisation, follows the Union Cabinet?s decision to repeal the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, which is in force in Assam.

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New Delhi, May 8: Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga has said serious efforts are on to bring the Ulfa to the negotiating table as part of a larger process to establish peace and stability in the Northeast.

?Though I have not yet been able to establish direct contact with any of the Ulfa leaders, we are trying to make them sit for dialogue. The intelligence agencies are also trying for a breakthrough while I am contributing to the process as much as possible,? the chief minister told The Telegraph.

The endeavour comes at a time when the banned outfit had continuously spurned offers for talks...