Anything can happen until polls are announced: Nitish Kumar on Mamata Banerjee dharna

Patna, Feb 04: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday refused to make a direct comment on the stand-off in West Bengal.

"What is happening between the CBI and the West Bengal government is for them to explain. I am not in the habit of commenting on others. But this is all a matter of a month or so, until the Election Commission comes out with the poll schedule and model code of conduct comes into force," PTI quoted him as saying.

Nitish Kumar known for making stinging attacks on his opponents took a dig at Banerjee when he was asked how he would have reacted if he was involved in a similar controversy. "Do you think I will have a DGP with such a record?" he quipped.

The CBI wants to question the Kolkata Police Commissioner over missing documents linked to an investigation into the Saradha and Rose Valley chit fund scams. The agency says Rajeev Kumar -- who headed a Special Investigation Team probing the scams--had ignored several summons and had been missing.

Nitish Kumar ruled out the possibility of the Modi government dismissing Banerjee's government in Bengal. He said unlike in the past, "when Congress governments at the centre used to clamp President's rule at will," now there were clear guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court.

The JDU leader also made a strong statement when he was asked if the ongoing standoff was detrimental to the integrity of the country. "Nobody is concerned about the country. All are interested in votes. But our country is a great one. And it has weathered many odds," he told PTI.

A team of CBI officers Sunday reached Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar's house to question him on two ponzi scams. The police whisked the officers away and briefly detained them. Riled with the development, Banerjee started an indefinite sit-in protest in central Kolkata.