Patna, May 5: The RJD has raked up the issue of demonetisation again, even though its ally JDU's chief Nitish Kumar had said the note ban had found resonance among the poor.

An economic resolution passed in Rajgir yesterday, the concluding day of the RJD's three-day training camp, stressed that scrapping Rs 1,000 and Rs 5,00 notes has badly affected the poor people, small traders and industry which had led to financial crisis in the country. Demonetisation was the Narendra Modi government's biggest mistake, RJD chief Lalu Prasad declared. "Due to demonetisation, the GDP of the country dropped, there was an impact on the export-import, real estate was affected," Lalu said during his speech yesterday.

"There is anger among the people after the Centre failed to curb the financial crisis. Modi called demonetisation a bold move but in reality it has taken the country back by many years. Under the cover of demonetisation, the BJP leaders and corporate friends turned their black money into white and that was the reason that after 50 days Modi extended it till February 27, 2017, so that they can get time to legalise their black money."

The Prime Minister did nothing to bring back black money stashed in foreign banks and also failed to curb inflation, the RJD chief added. Lalu's stand is diametrically opposite from his ally Nitish's. The day the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election results were declared, the Bihar chief minister had said poor people were happy as demonetisation had hit the rich and many political parties had ignored that.

JDU leaders, however, saw nothing wrong in Lalu raising the note ban again.

"The agreement between RJD and JDU is Bihar-centric," said JDU MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar. "Both parties are free to speak on any other issue outside Bihar. The party stands firm on what Nitishji had said after UP results - that demonetisation has given satisfaction to the poor people. What the RJD is saying is their stand and we are not concerned with it."