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Updated: Feb 12, 2019 22:30 IST

The Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) the most influential and largest Naga rebel group currently in talks with Government of India, announced its new chairman and vice chairman on Monday.

The two posts had been lying vacant since the death of Isak Chishi Swu in 2016 and Kholi Konyak in December 2018.

According to a statement from the outfit, in its National Hoho at its headquarters in Camp Hebron on the outskirts of Dimapur, it elected Qhehezu Tuccu as Chairman and Tongmeth Wangnao as Vice-Chairman.

The announcement was made by T Muivah, the general secretary of the outfit.

“The members of the house applauded them with immense satisfaction for filling up the post of Chairman and Vice-Chairman lying vacant after the demise of late Isak Chishi Swu and late Gen (Retd.) Kholi,” the statement from NSCN (I-M) said.

The NSCN (I-M) signed a framework agreement with the Government of India in 2015 to pave way for a solution to the vexed Naga political issue. The rebel group wants a ‘Greater Nagaland’ or Nagalim that would extend Nagaland’s borders by including Naga-dominated areas in neighbouring Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, to unite 1.2 million Nagas.

Along with NSCN (I-M) six other groups under the umbrella of Working Committee of the Naga National Political Groups are also in talks with the Government of India on the Naga issue.

The Khango Konyak faction of the NSCN (Khaplang), too, recently joined the working committee. It is likely to take part in the next round of dialogue.