Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Bandaranaike returned to Sri Lanka in 1974, when his mother was serving her second term as Prime Minister. He soon became active in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, having been appointed leader of its Youth Wing and thereafter Director of the National Youth Services Council. He contested the 1977 general election from the Maskeliya multi-seat constituency from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. Though the Sri Lanka Freedom Party faced a crushing defeat in the election, Bandaranaike was elected to parliament. He would remain a member of parliament till his death. Following the defeat of Sri Lanka Freedom Party government in July 1977, Bandaranaike sat in the opposition in parliament with his mother. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party became a minority in the opposition and A. Amirthalingam of the Tamil United Liberation Front became the leader of the opposition.