NSCN (IM) team in Delhi : Date with PM confirmed, talks soon
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Dimapur/Delhi , September 22 2014: The NSCN-IM delegation will hold a dialogue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi but the precise date has not been confirmed.

This time it was from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) which invited the NSCN-IM to hold 'formal talks' .

"Our team will definitely meet the Prime Minister this time," said a well placed source from the NSCN-IM.

A 10-member team of the NSCN-IM had left Dimapur on Saturday for New Delhi.

NSCN-IM chairman Isak Chisi Swu and the outfit's general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah led the team.

However, a source from the outfit's Ministry of Information and Publicity (MIP) said altogether 48 NSCN-IM leaders left Dimapur for New Delhi in batches in the past few days to prepare for the talks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flanked by Th Muivah (L) and Isak Swu (R)

Meanwhile, the NSCN-IM delegation is likely to start meeting the Government of India representatives in the next few days time.

The outfit is likely to hold talks with Centre's interlocutor RN Ravi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh within this week.

On the other hand, the NSCN-IM delegation is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi only when he returns from the visit to the United States.

Narendra Modi will leave India for the US later this week.

"Yes, the team (NSCN-IM) will definitely hold talks with the Prime Minister and it is likely that it will be held after he returns from the US visit," said a well placed source from the NSCN-IM set-up today.

Besides, Isak Swu and Th Muivah other top leaders who are in the team include VS Atem, Q Tuccu, AK Lungalang, Tongmeth, Rh Raising, TT Among, Yanger and Rev Puni.

It is worth noting that there have been no meaningful formal talks between the NSCN-IM and the Government of India for a long time, as it was witnessed during the Vajpayee era.

When the Congress led UPA was in the saddle at Delhi, the relationship between the NSCN-IM and the Centre was more of the blow-hot, blow-cold affair.

With the return of the BJP led NDA at the Centre, the Naga civil society organisations and the NSCN-IM are upbeat and there have been expressions of optimism that something good for the Nagas is coming.

The ceasefire between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) was signed on August 1, 1997 paving the way for a political dialogue.

At the moment the ceasefire is effective within the geographacical limits of the State of Nagaland.

In 2001, Manipur erupted in flames on June 18 to protest the insertion of the words, 'without territorial limits' in the ceasefire pact.

At that time, the country was under the BJP led NDA Government.