India's top court stayed Rahul Gandhi's defamation conviction, providing a reprieve for the opposition leader.

The conviction related to a speech Gandhi made during an election campaign in 2019, where he referred to thieves as having the same surname as Prime Minister Modi.

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The Congress party, led by Gandhi, alleged that the case was politically motivated, with Modi using the courts to target and silence his critics.

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Gandhi's suspension as a lawmaker led to legal battles to regain his position in Parliament.

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Indian law allows lawmakers to be disqualified for election offenses or if convicted of any other offense and sentenced to two years or more.

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The disqualification threatened to weaken the opposition's challenge against Modi's government.

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Gandhi's efforts to revive the Congress party included walking 3,500 kilometers across India to reconnect with voters.

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The Congress party's success in crucial state elections in Karnataka encouraged the formation of the INDIA alliance to challenge Modi in upcoming elections.

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The Supreme Court's stay on the conviction allows Gandhi to potentially contest the 2024 elections against Prime Minister Modi.

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