The strategy that also involves delinking development imperatives from an armed crackdown has gained urgency with a grand offensive to be launched to secure the Maoist belts and provide governance there, said top home ministry sources.

In Raipur, Chidambaram made an unscheduled visit with Chief Minister Raman Singh to the homes here of two policemen killed by Maoists - Choubey and constable Sanjay Yadav.

He drove first to Choubey's home and met Ranjana Choubey, widow of the Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, and other family members, then he travelled to Tikrapara area and met Lalita Yadav, widow of Sanjay Yadav. After a few hours stay in Chhattisgarh, Chidambaram left for Ranchi by a BSF plane.

'It's a great feeling that (the) union home minister consoled us. He basically told me that the government is entirely with you,' Ranjana Choubey told reporters outside her residence.

In Ranchi, the home minister maintained there was no proposal to involve the army in anti-Maoist operations. This was in reply to a query on his recent remarks that special forces might be pressed to help states fight the rebels.

'Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh have become the epicentre of Maoist activities. We are monitoring the situation and all support is being extended to the two states to contain the Maoist problem. Some parts of Orissa are also affected,' the home minister said.

'There is no place for the armed liberation theory in the country. We reject the Maoist arms liberation struggle,' he added.

Chidambaram also urged human rights activists to condemn atrocities perpetrated by the Maoist rebels.

Chidambaram reviewed the security scenario, operations against Maoist rebels and development in the state and held meetings with Governor K. Sankaranarayanan, three advisors of the governor and senior government officials.