A delegation led by Yashwant Sinha visited separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in Srinagar.
A five-member team from Delhi led by senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha is trying to break the ice in Kashmir, which has recently witnessed violent protests for over three months.
In Srinagar for a three-day visit, the group's first stop was at the home of Hurriyat hardliner Sayed Ali Geelani. Just two months ago, Mr Geelani had flatly refused to meet the lawmakers from an all-party delegation who had visited his home.
This time he had an hour-long closed-door discussion with the 5-member team.
"We have come here for talks and talks were held in a very cordial atmosphere. We succeeded to achieve the purpose of these talks," said Mr Sinha, whose team includes former bureaucrat and old Kashmir hand Wajahat Habibullah, former air Vice Marshal Kapil Kak, journalist Bharat Burhan and Sushoba Barve.
While the former External Affairs minister insisted that the members of the group are visiting in their individual capacity and not as part of a Track II initiative, the government has released senior Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq ahead of the visit to facilitate talks.
"I was released yesterday evening that was because this delegation was coming. It is very clear that government wanted us to talk to them. We have talked to them and told them about our position," the Mirwaiz said.
Over the next 3 days, the group will meet various stakeholders in Kashmir, including Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, mainstream political leaders and civil society groups.
More than 90 people have been killed and over 10,000 have been injured in over 100 days of unrest in Kashmir during clashes between protesters and the security forces.