[1][2][3] In 1993, Pushpakumara started his political career as the Wellawaya Electoral Organizer for Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).
[1] In the second government under President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Pushpakumara was appointed as the Minister of Coconut Development.
[4][5] On 28 December 2015, Pushpakumara arrived at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry Into Large-scale Corruption and Fraud.
[6][7][8][9] In 2016, he was investigated for allegedly using over Rs.5 million rupees of government money to buy land under his wife's name.
[15] In May 2022, it is reported that SLFP representatives Nimal Siripala de Silva, Mahinda Amaraweera, Duminda Dissanayake, Jagath Pushpakumara and Lasantha Alagiyawanna have decided to go beyond the party decision and take over the ministries of the new government under Ranil Wickramasinghe.