Nagaland political parties clash over councillor poaching and peace process interlocutor

Political tensions have escalated in Nagaland following accusations of councillor poaching and disagreements over the appointment of a new interlocutor for Indo-Naga political talks.

The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has accused the Naga People’s Front (NPF) of pressuring opposition councillors by withholding development funds. The NPCC suggested that councillors may have felt compelled to support the ruling establishment to secure resources for their constituents and called for a disclosure of ward-wise fund allocations.

In response, the NPF rejected these claims as “baseless and misleading,” asserting that any councillors joining the party have done so voluntarily based on ideology and leadership. The NPF challenged the Congress to provide evidence of coercion and argued that elected representatives have the right to make their own political choices.

Regarding the Naga peace process, the two parties hold opposing views on the appointment of Ajit Lal, a retired civil servant, as the new interlocutor. The NPCC criticized the appointment, stating it contradicts a previous consultative meeting where the Naga people requested a political or ministerial-level interlocutor. Conversely, the NPF welcomed the appointment of the former IPS officer to the role.