[4] As the British were preparing for their withdrawal from India, Phizo separately met the indigenous Assamese, Garos, Khasis, Lushais, Abors, Mishmis and Meiteis leaders in an attempt to convince them to form independent countries of their own, instead of joining the proposed Union of India.

Phizo was incarcerated in Calcutta's Presidency Jail in 1948 on charges of stirring trouble in the Indo-Burma borderland.

[6] Phizo became the NNC Chairman in October–November 1949 after defeating Vizar Angami of Zakhama village by a margin of one vote.

He met the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in December 1951 near Tezpur in Assam, in March 1952 at Delhi, and in July 1952 at Dibrugarh.

[citation needed] In September 1954, Phizo formed the "People's Sovereign Republic of Free Nagaland", with the support of Chang chiefs of Tuensang.

[citation needed] In 1955, the Angami leaders T. Sakhrie (who had served as the secretary of NNC since its inception) and J.

After acquiring a British passport while in London, the Indian embassy refused to issue him a visa to visit India.