Srinagar, Apr 28: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said the state government will facilitate talks between the Central Government and separatists after general elections in the country are over.

Speaking to mediapersons here, Abdullah, who is the National Conference party''s candidate for the Srinagar-Budgam seat, said: "As I said earlier, we are committed to it. A new government will be formed after the elections, we will talk to them (separatists) and facilitate them to talk to the federal government."

Abdullah added that the tourists inflow to Kashmir has been badly effected by the negative campaign by various quarters and his decision to campaign at the Dal Lake was to give a message valley is safe.

"You know that tourist season is affected due to some reason and also there is a wrong propaganda. It was necessary to show this that nothing of the sort is here and there is no danger to anybody," Abdullah said.

Separatists on Friday had warned the people of the valley not to participate in elections, prompting authorities to place two-dozen separatist leaders including senior Hurriyat leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Mohammad Yasin Malik, Nayeem Ahmad Khan under house arrest.

The decision by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a conglomerate of 26 Kashmiri separatist groups, came after United Jihad Council
(UJC) asked the separatist alliance to support their call to shun the poll.

However, another senior separatist leader, Sajjad Gani Lone, who walked out of Hurriyat in 2002, said this month that he would contest the poll and take his struggle to parliament in New Delhi.

Jammu and Kashmir is voting in all the five phases of elections on April 16, 23, 30, May 7 and 13.

Today was the last day of campaigning for the third phase of elections. (ANI)