Losing his parliamentary seat in the landslide defeat of the SLFP in 1977,[REF] he was re-elected in 1989 to Parliament to represent Hambantota District under Proportional Representation.
In 1994, following the election victory of the People's Alliance a political front led by Sri Lanka Freedom Party and headed by Chandrika Kumaratunga, Rajapaksa was appointed Minister of Labour.