Senior Congress leader K Therie, a former president of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC), resigned from the party on Thursday, alleging a “breach of trust” and unconstitutional interference by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in the affairs of the state unit.
Therie, a former state minister, submitted his resignation to the AICC president through the party’s Nagaland in-charge, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka. In his letter dated April 2, Therie said his decision was prompted by the AICC’s “backing out” from the 10-point modalities agreement between the Indian National Congress and the NPCC.
“I hereby tender my resignation from the INC, since AICC has backed out from the 10-point modalities agreements between the Indian National Congress and Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee,” he wrote.
Therie referred to the historical context of Nagaland’s statehood and the principles under Article 371A, stating that the NPCC had joined the Congress with an understanding that “Nagaland shall be regional in content and National in outlook, and shall be supreme in the Affairs of Nagaland, with its own Constitution and more.”
“You are aware that, in the midst of the struggle for sovereignty, Nagaland accepted Statehood in 1960 to be the 16-State of the Union of India after 13 years of Indian Independence, with 16-points of agreement, summarised under Article 371A,” Therie wrote.
Therie said he had also objected to the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan, issued on January 24, by AICC general secretary (organization) KC Venugopal. Despite his earlier objection, he alleged that the AICC went ahead with appointing District Congress Committee presidents on March 30, “invalidating the constitutional elections who are in the middle of their terms.”
Calling it “not a singular incident,” Therie alleged further encroachment on the authority of the NPCC, including the removal of six AICC members from the 12 seats allotted to the state unit since 1978. He claimed the move was linked to internal disputes over financial matters and alleged that “AICC has protected the culprits, and the honest were punished.”
Describing the developments as a “breach of trust on 10-point modalities, unconstitutional, and undemocratic,” Therie announced his exit from the party.
Meanwhile, according to a PTI report, NPCC president and Lok Sabha MP S Supongmeren Jamir said he was yet to receive Therie’s resignation letter.