Life at the top is difficult, even for militant leaders.
The Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) on Tuesday expelled its chairman SS Khaplang. A Hemi Naga from Myanmar, Khaplang had formed NSCN-K in 1988 after falling out with Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah who formed the NSCN (Isak-Muivah).
Insurgency experts say the impeachment and subsequent expulsion of Khaplang was a significant development in the militancy history of Nagaland.
On Tuesday, ‘tatars’ or ‘members of parliament’ of NSCN-K converged near Dimapur and expelled Khaplang from the outfit. A leader of the outfit said the step followed the ‘removal’ of the outfit’s commander-in-chief ‘general’ Khole Konyak unilaterally from his post by Khaplang.
Khaplang could not be contacted for his reaction.
Justifying the expulsion, an NSCN-K spokesman said the emergency session of the ‘national tatar hoho’ (the outfit’s parliament) was convened on Tuesday to deliberate on Khaplang’s ‘unceremonious and unconstitutional’ action without the approval of the 'national assembly'.
“Chairman Khaplang’s whimsical dismissal of a revered collective leader was outright rejected by the August assembly… The position and status of the reclusive yet dictatorial Khaplang have, therefore, been decisively shut out by the Naga people,” said a statement issued by the outfit.