New Prime Minister Faces Daunting Task

India’s new prime minister, Inder Kumar Gujral, easily won a confidence vote Tuesday but now faces the more daunting task of keeping together his disparate United Front coalition and its supporters.

The voice vote in the 545-member Parliament ended a three-week leadership crisis sparked when the powerful Congress Party withdrew support from the previous United Front government.

Congress accused Gujral’s predecessor, H.D. Deve Gowda, of supporting Hindu radicals and also criticized his economic policies.