Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingleng Muivah, chairman and general secretary of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (IM) group respectively, arrived in New Delhi on Sunday night to hold talks with the Centre.

K Padmanabhaiah, the government interlocutor, received them at the airport.

"We thank Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, at whose invitation we have come to New Delhi. We also thank Sonia Gandhi, president of the congress party," Muviah told his supporters, who thronged the airport braving the bitter cold.

• Naga leaders may meet PM on Dec 7 | More News

The two leaders chanted along with their followers, "Sing our song together, Nagas come raise your voices," before leaving for their hotel.

Talking to newsmen Isak Chishi Swu said that they would be in New Delhi for one week and hold talks with Dr Singh, Sonia Gandhi and home minister Shivraj Patil.

They are also likely to meet former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leader of the opposition, L K Advani, and CPM leader Sitaram Yechuri during their stay in New Delhi before leaving for Nagaland, where they will spend the Christmas and New Year holidays.

"We will never let the people of Nagaland down. We are prepared to hold talks with the government of India. We want to have good and peaceful relations with the Indian governmenent," they said.

The two leaders did not take any questions from the media.

Isak and Muivah arrived from Amsterdam by a KLM flight at 11.30pm.

Delhi police had made elaborate security arrangements for the two leaders. Talks between NSCN and the government ran into trouble last week when the two Naga leaders refused to fly to India saying that the Indian leadership was also engaged in talks other minor Naga insurgent groups, particularly the Khaplang group.

They finally agreed following intervention by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

Also read:

Naga Ceasefire