TBT became the Minister of Social Services of the United Front government formed after the landslide victory at the general election of 1970. It was an important historical achievement in his career and a landmark event in the journey he commenced from a rural hamlet going through many a hardship.  On 17th September 1975 TBT was appointed the Minister of Cultural Affairs. It marked the actualization of the aspirations of Sinhala poets and those who loved the vernacular language and indigenous literature of the country. TBT created a record of being the first Sinhalese poet to become a cabinet minister. The rural poet and balladeer who enchanted the rural audiences with public rendition of poems that he himself composed was now seen ably versifying the speeches that he delivered in the Parliament. He created a record during budget debates in Parliament by delivering speeches in lyrics on different occasions. He would break into verse and depict the hardships and suffering of the poor villagers as follows;

          Rangiri Dambulu kotasehi  vasi gamiyanne
          Hirihera thama adha methanedi kiyawenne.
          Mahajana  peramunata un anubala  dunne
          Gahatin midennai avilene   kusaginne

“It is the suffering and pain of the people of Dambulla that I give expression to in this assembly today. They rallied round the People’s Front government in expectation of relief and alleviation to their suffering and hunger.”

          SamaharaThenaka netha palamakudu thanawa.
          Gan ho udin enisa diga kamba thanawa.
          Himiwaru pawa ellie degodata yanawa.
          Sihiwena witath meya hadawata unu wenawa

“In some places there are no bridges over the rivers. Villagers including the clergy are compelled to walk on tight ropes to cross the waterways. My heart melts when I reminisce the hardships that the innocent villagers are forced to bear.”

          Sinhala hodiye akurak ho nodena
          Siya mawu piyan men gana andurata duwana.
          Asarana dilindu du daruwangen gahana
          Janapadayakvedha mata himi rajadahana

“Should the kingdom I possess be a neglected colony, full of hapless and poor children who are incapable of even reading the alphabet and thus are rushing to pitch darkness as in the case of their parents.”

That is how he expressed the poverty and deprivation of the people of Dambulla, for the first time, when he entered the Parliament in 1956. The parliamentary standing orders did not permit him to recite rhyming poems. He had to read them in prose style instead of reciting. This restriction troubled his mind. After waiting for one full year, he expressed his dissatisfaction of this state of affairs at the supreme council of peoples’ representatives.

          Wasarak gevini rajawee basa hela duwe
          Enamudu anduru thira apa wata kota parwey
          Kaviyayi mathywaruni bas reginage jeeway
          Kawuruda kaviya mehi nokiyannnai keeway?

“A year has passed since Sinhala was crowned as the official language. Yet there still float dark veils blocking our way. Poetry, dear members, is the lifeblood of the Queen of Language. Then, who said that poems cannot be recited here?” 

          Gathawu yuge Moratuwa kavi Kekuku walin
          Mathakai are suwanda me mathi sabaya thulin
          Ada ema suwanda rekadennata nagita kelin
          Api with sitimu Horanin saha Dambulu galin

“We remember the fragrance that the young poets of Moratuwa brought into this Assembly with their poetic renditions. Today we have come from Horana and Dambulla to bravely preserve that fragrance and protect that tradition in this House.”

It was TBT who first mooted the proposal to divert Mahaweli river to the Rajarata (North Central Province) in the parliament in 1956.

          Katugas thotadi Mahaweli gang manamali
          Pahalata ya nodi harahata benda weli
          Uthurata yomukarana theeranayaki heli
          Rajarata eyun nanwanu athi jayakeheli

“There is a welcome decision to erect a dam at Katugastota and divert the path of Mahaweli bride to the North. As a result, the people of Rajarata will no doubt emerge victorious and raise their standard.” 

          Rajarata viyali bima emagin sihil kota
          Dara dandu namuth pala ganu atha rikili pita
          Seth pirithakya eya rajarata mulullata
          Mini muthu motada mage  rangiri dambullata

“When the Mahaweli waters sooth the dry earth of Rajarata and plants and trees bloom and bring forth fruit, it will be nothing but a religious blessing for the entire Rajarata; Then, why should I ask for gems and pearls for my people of Dambulla?”.

In pursuance of the proposal made by TBT, in 1969 Mr. C .P. de Silva, The Minister of Agriculture and Lands and the Leader of the House initiated the Mahaweli River Diversion Project in 1969. In 1979 the river was diverted to the North Central Province constructing a dam at Pollgolla  His eyes were wet with tears of joy to witness this historic occasion. The Kandalama tank at Dambulla too, was fed with the Mahaweli waters from the first phase of the diversion.

TBT was a great man who was inspired by the glamour of the Sinhalese poetry. Boldly and freely he expressed his sentiments on the floor of the House.

          Duka kiyamanata kawadath sinhala kaviya
          Namagiya deyaki eya way apa sathu saviya
          Parihaniye andurata kavikama riviya
          Kaviya tama jathiya sathu maha aviya
 
“Sinhalae poetry has always given expression to our pains; it is the strength that the nation  possesses.   Though poetry is losing its lustre today, it obviously is our greatest weapon”

TBT’s poetic genius grew with his political maturity. The poems that he composed   during his youth such as Wessanthara Sinduwa, Ruwanmeli Maha Seya Warnanawa, Sri Gautama Vama Dalalda Wandanawa reflect the popular poetic tradition that prevailed at the time of writing. In contemporary poetry, the rhyming of the first and the last syllables of a poem was considered an integral part of the poem’s structure. Over-adherence to this rhythmic norm has often resulted in poems being rich in rhyme but poor in content. But in the case of TBT, it is evident that he had shown a high degree of proficiency, maturity and competence in handling the language without compromising the rhythm and style.

          Thama piya biriya siti kutiyata netha yawwa
          Samanamayan dutuwehi sasarehi gawwa
          Ama diya kohida bawayehi dukh gini niwwa
          Mama yami soya gena aye gangulehi pawwa
  
 “The Bodhisattva (Prince Siddhartha) glanced at the chamber where his wife was sleeping; he fathomed the distance of samsara; pondered the way out of samsara, and resolved to go in search of the path of freedom.”
                                   
While he was the Minister of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Sri Lanka, TBT reached the pinnacle of his poetic career when he was elected as President of Samastha Lanka Kavi Sammelanaya (All Ceylon Poets’ Conference) which brought appreciation and homage to him.  The co-secretaries of the Conference were two other eminent poets, i.e., Pathiraja Tennekoon, the MP for Mihintalle and the popular poet, P. Malalgoda. The threesome contributed immensely to the progress of the All Ceylon Poets’ Conference. Their work was ably galvanized by the Treasurer of the Conference and MP for Polonnaruwa, poet Leelaratna Wijesinghe,

TBT also held the position of co secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (S LFP).

In 1936 he married Miss Karuna Menike Rajapakse of Katukele and the couple was  blessed with nine children. They are Yasaratne Bandara, Mithranand Bandara, Indrani Kumari, Asoka Bandara, Wijitha bandara, Saman Bandara, Kanthi Kumari, Janaka Bandara,and Ruwan Bandara.

When he passed away on 28th May 1980, he was neither a municipal councilor, nor a deputy minister or a cabinet minister. Yet, unprecedented large crowds gathered at his funeral giving a fitting farewell to the man so loved by his people. As a  great poet and parliamentarian, he left behind a legacy that must be preserved and built on.