The Nepali Congress's continuous winning streak and the efforts of other parties to break it have made the Rautahat-4 election exciting. Dev Prasad Timalsina of the Nepali Congress, who won in 2074 and 2079, is in the running to win a hat-trick this time. There are 36 candidates in the fray, both from parties and independents, in this constituency.

Aam Janata Party candidate Rishi Dhamala is reaching out to chowks, squares, houses, fields, gardens and markets to seek votes. Dhamala's style of seeking votes is going viral on social media. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) candidate Ganesh Poudel also seems to be trying to put a 'break' in the continuous victory of the Congress. This time, the RSS is seeking votes by saying, 'Let's look at the new, not the old'.

The style of election campaigning has changed this time in the district. The candidates are seen focusing on social media rather than making a fuss in the villages and toll plazas. Congress's Timalsina, Aam Janata Party's Dhamala, Nepali Communist Party's Ram Kumar Bhattarai, UML's Ramji Sah, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Ganesh Poudel, JSP's Rajkumar Das and Janamat's Kalyan Patel, Ujjwal Nepal's Tulsi Giri, and Progressive Democratic Party's Satyanarayan Bhagat are in the race. Among these, Timalsina, Bhattarai of the NCP and Bhagat of Pragatisheel are the only old faces.

Dr. Banshidhar Mishra of UML had won from this constituency in 048. Mishra had defeated Uddhav Dhakal of the Congress. Mishra was defeated by Dhakal of the Congress in the mid-term elections of 051. In 056, the then MLA general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal had won from this constituency. He had won elections from both constituencies by running as a candidate in Rautahat-1 and 6. After he left Rautahat-6, BP-son Prakash Koirala won in the by-elections held. Koirala's closest rival, Ram Kumar Bhattarai of UML, is in the fray from the NCP this time. Bhattarai had defeated Timalsina of the Congress in the second Constituent Assembly elections of 070.

In 2074, Congress's Timalsina won by getting 28,288 votes. UML's Dr. Mishra got 23,06 votes. In 2079, Timalsina, who became a candidate from the Lok-Baam alliance, won by getting 34,161 votes. UML changed its candidate and made Uddhav Regmi its candidate. Regmi got 26,559 votes. UML had formed a coalition that was successful. Timalsina is optimistic about winning this time because he has worked for the benefit of the people and supported them in good and bad times. 'I have worked by prioritizing education and health,' he said, 'There is still a lot of work to be done in this area. I will finish it.' There was no record of a single leader winning the election twice in this area. However, Timalsina broke that record.

 In 079, the Congress had won 14,218 votes in the proportional representation. UML got 11,231 votes. The Maoist Center got 9,319 votes and the Unified Socialist Party got 9,179 votes. The Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal got 6,208 votes and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) got 5,707 votes. The NCP has fielded Bhattarai this time. Bhattarai is confident of winning the election as the party is united with the then Maoist Center. ‘I have come with the determination to work for the welfare of the entire region,’ he said, ‘This time, victory is certain.’ 

Rajkumar Das of the JSP also says that he has come to the people for the first time with a new agenda of development. Former professor Yogendra Yadav says that in the current situation, the proportional representation vote of 079 cannot be considered the basis for victory or defeat. ‘That vote may have come due to special circumstances.’ The situation is different now, he said, ‘The thing called vote is a constant flux.’ It keeps changing. ‘This cannot be taken as a basis now.’ He said that the mentality that elections can be won by a quick and furious campaign should be abandoned.’

In Madhesh, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has made ‘Ab Ki Baar Balen Sarkar’ its election slogan.’ The party has fielded Poudel from the education sector. Poudel, who has spent a long time in teaching, said that the people will trust him as the old parties and old leaders could not do anything. ‘No leader of the old party gave development priority,’ he said, ‘Now we will do it after winning. We are the people’s trust.’

Leaders here say that the RSSS can increase its influence this time as it is an area touched by the East-West Highway. Dhamala, who has been active in journalism for a long time, has become a candidate from the Aam Janata Party led by Prabhu Sah. After registering his candidacy, he is going door to door. Dhamala says that even though his birthplace is Dhading and his workplace is the capital, Rautahat is not new to him. ‘Development work will have to be done here.’ He said, ‘I am familiar with each and every person in Rautahat.’

Kalyan Patel of Janmat Party also says that he entered the election fray with the slogan of doing something. ‘I am also among those sought and chosen by the voters,’ he said, ‘I will show it by doing, not by talking.’ Sah, who was fielded by UML for the first time, is also a new face. Most of the candidates have made development the main issue. Four municipalities, Chandrapur, Brindavan, Garuda and Gadhimai, fall in this area. In the first local level elections in 2074, the Congress won Chandrapur, Gadhimai, Brindavan and the JSP won Garuda. In 2079, the Congress repeated as the chief of Chandrapur and Gadhimai. In Garuda, the UML and the then Socialist Party won Brindavan.