Kolkata: Stating that only trying to counter the BJP in the electoral battle will not be enough to stop the resurgence of right-wing reactionary forces in the country, CPI-M politburo member Prakash Karat on Wednesday said communists must take a leading role in uniting all secular democratic forces to fight the majority communalism.

Terming Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a well organised fascistic organisation that has been working to influence the people of various sections of the society, Karat said the Left parties must create alternative forces in those social spheres to counter them.

"So far we have tried to focus on determining the electoral tactics to isolate and defeat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the elections. However, we failed to understand that BJP is just a small part of the RSS activities.

"Five years back, RSS had nearly 40 mass organisations that worked in different sections of the society. We need to be able to counter these forces of the RSS. Stopping just the BJP would not work," Karat said here at a seminar on "Combating dangers of aggressive communalism in India".

"Our challenge at the moment is to counter a well organised power that is using the majority communalism and trying to impose its ideology on the entire nation with an aim to reorganise it as a Hindu state. Unless we can counter their agenda of Hindutva nationalism with our secular democratic progressive values, it would be difficult to stop them," he pointed out.

The former general secretary of CPI-M said the RSS is constantly working to influence the education and cultural sector and a section of intellectuals, while they are also working to consolidate the Dalits and tribal communities in the country by imposing the Hindutva agenda at the grassroot level.

He pointed out that "storm troopers of the RSS" like Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagaran Mancha are at work in these places.

"The secular and democratic people must transcend the party barriers to fight the majority communalism of BJP and RSS," he added.

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Amaravati, Jan 24 (PTI): YSRCP Rajya Sabha member V Vijayasai Reddy on Friday said he will be resigning from his parliament membership on January 25.

In a post on 'X', he said he is not joining any other party and also quitting politics.

"I am quitting politics. I am resigning from the Rajya Sabha membership tomorrow, ( January) 25th . I will not join any political party. I am not resigning hoping for any position, benefits, or money. This decision is completely my personal one. There was no pressure. No one influenced me," he said in the post.

Reddy is currently serving his second term as Rajya Sabha member from YSRCP from Andhra Pradesh.

He is one of the key figures in former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led party in the state.