Despite the separatists refusing to hold talks with the all-party delegation, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Sunday said "their intention is clear and they are ready for unconditional talks" with everybody.
Hurriyat leaders S.A.S. Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq refused to meet a group of the all-party delegation, who arrived here to hold meetings with all the stakeholders in the state.
"They said they won't meet. Our intention is clear. This is our indication that we are ready for unconditional talks with everybody. We want peace and tranquillity in the Valley," Yechury told the media here.
However, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik met with the delegation.
Talking about the meeting with Malik, Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav said, "The meeting was good. They said they would come to Delhi and hold talks. We believe that they have agreed to take the talk forward. Our aim is to make an atmosphere for peace to ease the tension. We had come here with this aim. We will surely come forward for talks."
Apart from Yechury and Yadav, the all-party delegation members who had gone to meet with the separatists include CPI leader D Raja and CPI (M) MLA Yousuf Tarigami.
Earlier today, the separatists rejected Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's invitation for talks with the all-party delegation.
This came after Mehbooba appealed to all separatist leaders and other organizations to take the lead and engage with the all-party delegation.
She also said the country's political leadership must reach out and engage all sections of society, including the leaders of the Hurriyat Conference, in a productive dialogue process.
Mehbooba had earlier written to the separatist leadership requesting them to "take a lead and engage" with the delegation, "which will be the start of a credible and meaningful political dialogue and resolution process."
The all-party delegation, led by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, earlier in the day met Mehbooba and her predecessor National Conference's Omar Abdullah.
During the two-day visit, the delegation, led by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, will interact with Governor N.N. Vohra besides holding meetings with the representatives of all political parties and others.
After coming back, the delegation will convene a meeting and give suggestions on the basis of which the Centre will decide its future course of action.
Earlier on Saturday, a preparatory meeting of the all-party delegation was held in New Delhi.
The delegation was made aware of the prevailing situation in the state and contours of the tour during which they will hold talks with a cross-section of people.
Ahead of the visit of the all-party delegation, the Centre approved the use of chilli-filled grenades as an alternative to pellet guns for crowd control.
Kashmir has been on the boil since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Wani on July 8 as more than 70 people have lost their lives.
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