Alleges breach of agreement and trust
Kohima, April 2 (MExN): Senior Congress leader K Therie has tendered his resignation from the Indian National Congress (INC), alleging that the party’s central leadership has reneged on key understandings with the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC).
In a letter addressed to the President of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), Therie stated that his decision was prompted by what he termed as the AICC’s “backing out” from the 10-point modalities agreement between the INC and the NPCC.
Referring to Nagaland’s political history, he noted that the state attained statehood in 1960 following the 16-Point Agreement, later encapsulated under Article 371A.
In that spirit, NPCC leaders had joined the INC under a separate 10-point modalities agreement, which envisaged Nagaland being “regional in content and national in outlook,” with autonomy over its internal affairs, Therie asserted.
Therie said he had earlier objected, in a letter dated January 31, 2026, to the ‘Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan’—an organisational restructuring exercise initiated by AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal on January 24.
Despite his objections, he alleged that the AICC proceeded to appoint District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents on March 30, 2026, thereby overriding ongoing constitutional terms.
He further alleged that the AICC had, in other instances, encroached upon the authority of the NPCC, including the removal of six AICC members from the 12 seats allotted to Nagaland since 1978.
According to him, the members had been duly elected in 2022 and were removed without fault.
Therie also asserted that the move was linked to internal disputes, including plan to enable the NPCC to remove Dr Bobby Pannikar, former Working President of NPCC and Treasurer, who he claimed “sign a blank format of the State election expenditure statement (2023).”
He alleged that while irregularities involving party functionaries were brought to the AICC’s notice, it culprits “protected the culprits, and the honest were punished.”
Terming the developments a “breach of trust,” as well as “unconstitutional and undemocratic,” Therie announced his resignation from the party.
