He served as the Minister for Environment, Forest & Wildlife, Development and General Administration in Government of Delhi under former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
He is also social activist,[1] member of Legislative Assembly from Babarpur (Delhi Assembly constituency) and a member of the Political Affairs Committee of the Aam Aadmi Party.
[5] Rai began his career with All India Students Association in Lucknow University in 1992.
He and two other members led the "mein bhi aam aadmi" campaign, which started on 10 January and continued till 26 January 2014, for handling fund collection, association, and management of other political groups.
On 13 December 2013, the fourth day of Anna Hazare's indefinite hunger strike for passage of Jan Lokpal bill in Ralegaon Siddhi, a verbal spat between VK Singh and Gopal Rai took place, forcing Anna to ask Rai to leave Ralegaon.