[6][7] He defeated Nepali Congress candidate Kishore Rai by receiving 20,821 votes.

[8][9] Rai was born in Khartamchha, Khotang which is in present-day Kepilasgadhi rural municipality.

[1] After six years working abroad he returned to Dharan and opened the National Unity Network to protest against corruption.

He was also involved in protests against tax raises, illegal sand extraction from rivers and the water scarcity in Dharan.

[13] In 2016, Rai became the coordinator of people displaced by the expansion of the Madan Bhandari Inner Terai Highway.