Chairman of Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland, Khaplang (NSCN-K) Shangwang Shangyung Khaplang, died last night at Takka in Kachin state of Myanmar. He was 77. He was ailing for quite sometime, and died following a cardiac arrest.<br/><br/>The death of Khaplang, who headed the hardliner faction of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Khaplang faction), would leave a void in Naga politics even as it is felt that the absence of the aging insurgent leader could push some of his pragmatic followers to come forward for peace parleys. The NSCN-K had withdrawn from the ceasefire in 2015. The militants in the group kept up their encounters frequently striking Indian forces at vulnerable spots from time to time. <br/><br/>It remains to be seen whether Khaplang's death can leave any impact in the on-going talks with the Centre or in the entire process in Nagaland. Recently, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said that there is progress in the peace talks.'Since walking out of the ceasefire that became operational in 2001 during the Vajpayee regime, Khaplang had based himself in the insurgent group's camp at Takka, in Myanmar's Kachin state.