 Fernando stood as the LSSP(R) candidate in Moratuwa at the 1965 parliamentary election but failed to get re-elected.Samarakkody fell out with LSSP(R) leader Tampoe and in 1968 left the party, together with Fernando, and founded the Revolutionary Sama Samaja Party (renamed Revolutionary Workers Party in 1973).Fernando supported the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna's 1971 insurrection.