After Congress leader Digvijay Singh wrote a newspaper article attacking the Home Minister, the Congress has warned him not to publicly list his differences on government policy with other party leaders.

Party spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi told NDTV, "The party's view is that the Congress is a democratic party...everyone can express his or her views...but such views should be expressed within the party forum only."

The reprimand comes after Singh's scathing article in The Economic Times on Wednesday morning in which he targeted Home Minister P Chidambaram.

Singh, who is a Congress General Secretary, questions Chidambaram's policy on the Naxal insurgency that has been described by the Prime Minister as the greatest threat to India's security . He is also unsparing of Chidambaram as an individual, writing "While Chidambaram is extremely intelligent, articulate, committed and a sincere politician - he is also extremely rigid once he makes up his mind. I have been a victim of his intellectual arrogance many times, but we still are good friends."

The Congress has been quick to back Chidambaram who offered to resign last week after 76 jawans were massacred by Naxals in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh. It was the country's worst Naxal attack.

The Congress has been divided over how the government should tackle Naxals. Some within the party believe that Chidambaram's approach is too aggressive. Mani Shankar Iyer, for example, has said he sides with Digvijay Singh.

While all Congress leaders agree that the Naxals must be dealt with firmly, some feel more emphasis should be placed on a participatory role by tribals in Naxal-controlled areas in both the battle against the insurgents, as well as the development of these regions.

The timing of Digvijay Singh's article is also worrying for the Congress. Parliament resumes tomorrow, with the Opposition determined to attack the government over the issue of rising food prices and inflation. The government has critical legislation pending, including the controversial nuclear liability bill. The Congress, therefore, wants to ensure that it presents a united front.