STORY: Sri Lankans have handed president Anura Kumara Dissanayake a strong win in a snap general election, giving him more power to fight poverty and corruption.Dissanayake, a political outsider, easily won the presidential election in September.

The win gives leftist president Anura Kumara Dissanayake greater legislative power to pursue policies to alleviate poverty and fight graft.

Sri Lanka's National People's Power of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Thursday secured a majority in parliament, according to official results

The NPP contesting under the Malimawa (compass) symbol secured 113 seats in the 225 member assembly, data released by the elections commissions website showed

Sri Lanka's President and National People's Power (NPP) party leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake shows his ink-marked finger after casting his vote on the day the parliamentary election in Colombo, Sri Lanka,

A former agriculture minister and long-time member of parliament, Dissanayake came into spotlight by distancing himself from the political elite, presenting himself as an outsider with the ability to address Sri Lanka’s financial crisis.

According to the Election Commission results, Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s National People’s Power Party has won at least 123 of the 225 seats in Parliament.

Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake secured a decisive victory in the snap general election, with his National People’s Power (NPP) party winning a majority to push forward his reform agenda.

Sri Lankans have voted in a parliamentary election that's key for their new, Marxist-leaning president to consolidate his party’s power and follow through on promises of economic recovery