Rawal began his political career when he began serving as Jhalanath Khanal's adviser in 1990. From 1992 to 1993 he served on the United Nations's Cambodian elections panel and later allied himself with Madhav Kumar Nepal. In 1994 he was elected into Parliament following by being its Minister for Commerce, Tourism and Civil Aviation till 1995. From 1998 to 1999 he served the same positions for second term and also was Minister of Science and Technology. In April 2008 he was Proportional representative of the 2nd Nepalese Constituent Assembly.
