[2] At the 4th parliamentary election, held on 19 March 1960, Suriarachchi ran as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party candidate in the newly created electorate of Mahara.
On 11 March 1977, following the Communist Party leaving the Government and the resignation of T. B. Subasinghe, Suriarachchi was appointed Minister of Industries and Scientific Affairs a role he held until the dissolution of the parliament on 18 May 1977.
[9] In early 1983 Gunasekara resigned as the member for Mahara,[10] with nominations being called to fill the vacancy, closing 22 April.
Suriarachchi nominated as an independent, following Vijaya Kumaratunga being selected as the Sri Lanka Freedom party candidate.
As a result at the by-election held on 18 May the United National Party candidate, Kamalawarana Jayakody, was controversially elected by a margin of 45 votes.