International Desk: An Indian court has rejected opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s appeal seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case.

The decision extends the uncertainty over whether he can contest in national elections due next year.

Mr Gandhi has been sentenced to two years in jail for 2019 comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surname at an election rally.

He won’t be arrested until he has exhausted all legal appeals.

Mr Gandhi’s lawyer, Kirit Panwala, told the BBC that they will challenge the decision in the Gujarat high court.

Mr Gandhi lost his seat in parliament a day after his conviction on 23 March due to a Supreme Court order which says that a lawmaker convicted in a crime and sentenced to two or more years in jail is disqualified with immediate effect.

The Congress has criticised Mr Gandhi’s conviction and accused the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of political vendetta.

The BJP has denied this, saying that due judicial process was followed in the case.

Earlier this month, Mr Gandhi had filed appeals to suspend his sentence, or secure bail, and to suspend his conviction in a court in Surat.