He has represented the Nadroga Indian Communal Constituency, which he won for the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) in the parliamentary elections of 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, and 2006.
He was appointed Minister for Youth and Sports and Employment Opportunities in the interim administration that followed the military coup that took place on 5 December 2006.
On 19 May 2000, he was among the 43 members of the People's Coalition Government, led by Mahendra Chaudhry, taken hostage by George Speight and his band of rebel Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) soldiers from the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit.
In May 2006 Vayeshnoi became Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources in the new multi-party Cabinet appointed following the general election held on 6–13 May, but soon attracted media attention again with a parliamentary speech on 12 June calling for the shelving of certain policies promoted by his own government.
[citation needed] Following the military coup that took place on 5 December 2006, Bainimarama appointed Vayeshnoi to the interim Cabinet on 9 January 2007.