 Contesting the March 1960 general election, he was again defeated by Weerakoon, but won the subsequent July 1960 general election, with Weerakoon switching to the United National Party and contesting the seat of Kundasale.He sat in the opposition until the 1965 general election when he allowed Weerakoon to contest his seat as the United National Party candidate.Ratnayaka was appointed to the Senate of Ceylon in 1965 and was elected President of the Senate of Ceylon succeeding Thomas Amarasuriya and serving till the abolishment of the Senate in 1971.