The term of Padmanabhaiah, a former Union Home Secretary, who has served as interlocutor for talks with NSCN(IM) for a decade, has come to an end today.
"We have decided not to extend his tenure. Now onwards, the government of India will talk directly to the NSCN(IM),"a senior Home Ministry official said.
69-year-old Padmanabhaiah described his service as satisfactory and said he has been submitting reports to the government about the progress of the negotiations regularly.
"I have completed my tenure and I have not heard anything from the government,"he told PTI.
Padmanabhaiah was first appointed as interlocutor for Naga talks on July 28, 1999, for one year but he had been getting extension for his task for one year every time. He retired as Union Home Secretary on October 31, 1997.