Sri Lankans voted in a parliamentary election Thursday that is key for the country's new, Marxist-leaning president to consolidate his party's power and follow through on promises of economic recovery.

In the first major political test for President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's NPP, Sri Lanka on Thursday headed to elect a new parliament. Back in September, the ruling party failed to secure 50 percent of the vote in the presidential elections.

Sri Lankan President Dissanayake's NPP wins a historic landslide, signaling a shift in politics. Despite past opposition to India, he seeks closer ties with India while avoiding geopolitical tensions.