Tillman Thomas led his party to a major victory in Grenada

His National Democratic Congress(NDC) scored a resounding victory over incumbent Dr Keith Mitchell's New National Party in Tuesday's general election.

Preliminary election results show Thomas's National Democratic Congress winning 11 of the 15 seats in the Grenada parliament.

Tillman Thomas, a veteran legislator and former political detainee, returned his party to power in Grenada after 13 years in opposition.

Outgoing prime minister Keith Mitchell's New National Party(NNP), was seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive term in legislative elections.

"Great achievement"

Mr Thomas described the result as "a great achievement" for his party.

In the previous election in 2003 his NDC party lost by one seat, giving Dr Mitchell's NNP the slimmest majority in the 15 seat parliament. eight.

Just over 70,000 people were registered to vote in the elections.

The NNP the NDC were the two major parties vying for control of the parliament.

We want to de-politicise the country   Tillman Thomas, Grenada's new Prime Minister

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Thomas said things would change in Grenada under his administration.

“Definitely things would change. There will be a different style of governance. We want to de-politicise the country,” he said.

Big loss

Dr Keith Mitchell, who now heads to the opposition benches has been magnanimous in defeat.

	Dr Mitchell was seeking a fourth consecutive term

He congratulated Mr Thomas on his victory and said his party will now “re-look and see where we are.”

Dr Mitchell had been seeking a fourth five year term.

Tillman Thomas's NDC had been in opposition for 13 years.

Mr Thomas was in prison as a political detainee of the Cuba-aligned government of socialist leader Maurice Bishop when U.S. forces invaded the country in 1983.

U.S. and regional troops stormed Grenada after the leftist government was overthrown and its leaders executed by an even more hard-line Marxist faction.