Voters in India have returned ruling Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi to parliament and given communists a win in two states in local elections.
Results announced Thursday show Gandhi won a special by-election in the Rae Bareli district of Uttar Pradesh by more than 400-thousand votes, allowing her to return to parliament.
She was forced to resign her seat in March when the opposition accused her of illegally holding two paid government jobs.
Also Thursday, a Communist-led coalition defeated the Congress Party in southern Kerala state, taking control of the state legislature.
The communists also kept their long-held control of parliament in West Bengal state.
The Congress party kept power in Pondicherry, but will likely need to form a coalition to hold on to Assam.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party won in Tamil Nadu.
Voting in the five states was spread out over one month.
Results announced Thursday show Gandhi won a special by-election in the Rae Bareli district of Uttar Pradesh by more than 400-thousand votes, allowing her to return to parliament.
She was forced to resign her seat in March when the opposition accused her of illegally holding two paid government jobs.
Also Thursday, a Communist-led coalition defeated the Congress Party in southern Kerala state, taking control of the state legislature.
The communists also kept their long-held control of parliament in West Bengal state.
The Congress party kept power in Pondicherry, but will likely need to form a coalition to hold on to Assam.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party won in Tamil Nadu.
Voting in the five states was spread out over one month.