[16][17][18][19] Rudy started his political journey in 1989 as a campaign manager of Harmohan Dhawan, who contested from the Chandigarh Lok Sabha constituency.

Rudy was first elected in 1990 as a Member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly on Janata Dal ticket from Taraiya at the young age of 28.

Rudy had earlier held the post of National Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.

[27] In 2014, Rudy became the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in Narendra Modi's government.

Simultaneously he also shared Parliamentary Affairs department jointly with Minister of State, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

[28][29] During that tenure as Civil Aviation Minister, Rudy was in controversy of non-payment of his bills at Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa, which he had to later pay.

[30] In October 2015, Rajiv Pratap Rudy was in a controversy over sharing on Twitter a screenshot of Pakistan's daily Dawn website carrying Nitish Kumar's ad of vote appeal during 2015 Bihar Legislative Assembly election, prompting JD (U) to launch a sharp attack on him and seek his immediate sacking.

In May 2021, Rajiv Pratap Rudy was criticized when 30 unused ambulances were found parked at his Amnour Vishw-Prabha community centre, even when Bihar was struggling under second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

[33] Jan Adhikar Party chief Pappu Yadav raided that community centre run by Rudy.