 He was elected to the National Assembly from Manandrina in the 1993 parliamentary election, serving until 1998.He was a candidate for Prime Minister in the National Assembly vote on August 9, 1993, but came in third place, receiving 32 votes against 55 for the winner, Francisque Ravony, and 46 for Roger Ralison (both of whom were from the pro-Zafy Committee of Active Forces).Rakotonirina's party had moved towards liberalism, and it renamed itself the Militant Party for the Development of Madagascar.