JAIPUR: After the Supreme Court stayed the conviction of Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that everything is going in the right direction and Congress will return to power in Rajasthan.

“Under fascist forces, there is a worrying trend in the nation. Even in defamation cases, post independence, Rahul Gandhi is the first person who got a full sentence of two years.

“Today, the Supreme Court rejected the verdict of the lower court. Everything is going in the right direction now... Congress will return to power in Rajasthan,” he said.

SC on Friday stayed the conviction of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a 2019 defamation case over his Modi surname remark, restoring his status as an MP.

A three-judge bench of Justices B R Gavai, P S Narasimha and Sanjay Kumar said no doubt that the utterances were not in good taste and that a person in public life is expected to exercise caution while making public speeches.

“No reason has been given by the trial judge for imposing maximum sentence, the order of conviction needs to be stayed pending final adjudication,” the bench said.

The top court was hearing a plea by Rahul Gandhi challenging the Gujarat High Court verdict which dismissed his plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a defamation case over his ‘Modi surname’ remark.