He was appointed by the UNP through the national list, to fill the position vacated by the demise of former Lands Minister M.K.A.D.S. Gunawardena.

Fonseka led the Sri Lanka Army in the last years of the war against the LTTE. He later entered politics, and contested the 2010 Presidential Elections. Following his controversial defeat in the presidential election he was elected to Parliament in the general election that followed.