The Tikhir Tribal Council (TTC) has submitted the name of Tsangli Tikhir as its qualified candidate for consideration and approval as the Tikhir Interim Member to the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA), stating that he is the sole candidate who fulfils the eligibility criteria framed by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO).
In a representation to the ENPO president, the TTC said three candidates were in the fray during the selection process held on March 10, 2026—T Tsusuthong, Tsangli Tikhir and Mark Morekiu.
The TTC stated that Tsusuthong’s candidature was rejected on grounds of age, while it claimed that Tsangli Tikhir fulfilled the prescribed eligibility criteria.
The Council, meanwhile, raised several allegations against Mark Morekiu, including assault cases and other complaints, and said his candidature had been objected to on grounds relating to his antecedents, integrity and alleged corruption charges.
According to the TTC, Morekiu was accused of assaulting Kiuto GB of Longtsunger Village in 2015, following which an FIR was lodged at Kiphire Police Station. It further claimed that he was expelled from the tribe for five years in 2021 but was subsequently pardoned.
The TTC also alleged that in 2022, the Tikhir Women Union Kohima imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on Morekiu and another woman following an alleged incident at his residence in Kohima. It further alleged that Morekiu was involved in assault incidents in 2023 and 2024, for which FIRs were lodged at North Police Station, Kohima, and Kiphire Police Station respectively.
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The TTC said that despite Tsangli fulfilling the prescribed eligibility criteria, his candidature was sidelined during the selection process by the then TTC team, which recommended Morekiu despite objections and complaints raised against him.
The Council further claimed that on September 1, 2026, the dissolved TTC team, along with some frontal organisations, unilaterally endorsed Morekiu’s name as the Tikhir Interim Member to the FNTA. It said the meeting was held despite a restriction issued by the present TTC against holding an unauthorised meeting, and that the present council subsequently nullified the decision on September 6 through print and social media.
The TTC maintained that Tsangli Tikhir was the only candidate who fulfilled the eligibility criteria framed by the ENPO for selection of the Tikhir Interim Member to the FNTA.
Expressing serious reservations over the fairness and transparency of the selection process, the council urged the ENPO to consider its submission and approve Tsangli Tikhir’s candidature in accordance with the eligibility framework.
The representation was signed by 18 officials of the Tikhir Tribal Council.
