Curtis Sliwa says, Mamdani’s victory symbolises change and overcame a $22 million effort by 26 billionaires to block his path to becoming New York City’s Mayor, inspiring hope in the power of democracy.
Zohran Mamdani‘s recent record-breaking achievement in New York as its Mayor is astonishing. Elected as the first Muslim South-Asian Mayor, he represents a unique mix of identities. Born in Africa with South Asian heritage and a practitioner of Shia Islam, he is also the son of renowned filmmaker Mira Nair.
Since his election, he has received considerable media attention. “A moment comes but rarely in history when we step from the old into the new,” Mamdani told a cheering crowd in New York, quoting India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, from his 1947 freedom speech.
Many people believe that Mamdani’s mention of Nehru’s speech signalled the beginning of something new and potentially transformative in New York.
Mamdani ushers in a new dawn
Mamdani expressed his pride in becoming the first Indian-American Mayor of the city, honouring his mother’s Hindu heritage. Though he identifies as a Muslim, he has a strong understanding of Hinduism and values traditions like Raksha Bandhan, Diwali, and Holi. On Instagram, he shares messages in Hindi, often using playful imagery and dialogue from Bollywood films.
Mamdani’s mother, Mira Nair, is an award-winning filmmaker known for “Monsoon Wedding” and “The Namesake.” His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is a professor of anthropology at Columbia University. Mamdani grew up in Cape Town and moved to New York at the age of seven.
Mamdani’s election marks a progressive shift in American politics, as he defeated established figures like Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa. His victory symbolises change and overcame a $22 million effort by 26 billionaires to block his path to becoming New York City’s Mayor, inspiring hope in the power of democracy.
Nine months of hard work
In just nine months, Mamdani went from being a little-known assemblyman in the New York state legislature to mayor-elect. He ranked low in opinion polls. The heart of his campaign was a strong field operation. Many New Yorkers, mostly unpaid, worked hard to share his message of progressive change.
“Zohran Mamdani is transforming politics” said Bernie Sanders, the US Senator from Vermont who inspired him. “As mayor, he will advocate for New York’s working people, which may alarm the establishment and billionaires, but it’s why over 100,000 volunteers backed his campaign.”
New York’s mayoral elections often receive little attention, as they are frequently dominated by wealthy politicians in this Democratic city. However, when Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary, his campaign gained traction quickly. In just one month, he transformed social media support into real votes, making the race a global focus. In his victory speech, Mamdani declared, “I will wake up each morning determined to make this city better for you than it was the day before.”
He graduated in 2014 from Bowdoin College in Maine, where he earned a degree in Africana studies and cofounded his college’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter.
Appealing young voters
He worked as a housing counsellor for low-income families before being elected to the New York Assembly in 2020, defeating a long time Democratic incumbent in Queens. He has since won re-election twice.
His campaign appealed to young voters who valued his authenticity, while critics questioned his leadership experience.
Mamdani’s democratic socialist platform includes free public buses, universal childcare, rent-stabilised apartments, a $30 minimum wage by 2030, and higher taxes on the wealthy, offering hope for a better future in New York City.
Despite a brief campaign, he effectively turned social media support into community votes, drawing attention in India and highlighting the Indian diaspora’s influence in the US.
Trump calls Zohran a communist
Donald Trump called Zohran Mamdani a “communist” and claimed that America “lost a bit of sovereignty” in the mayoral elections. Trump was concerned about funding New York, stating that Mamdani would waste the money due to his leftist views. Trump’s supporters, the MAGA crowd, reacted strongly to recent losses in mayoral and gubernatorial elections, especially Mamdani’s victory, blaming Trump for prioritising foreign policy over domestic issues.
The elections saw major Republican losses in Virginia, New Jersey, California, and New York City. Mamdani’s victory has drawn national attention, sparking criticism among Trump loyalists who question his influence on the GOP. Trump faces criticism from supporters over these defeats, especially in New York City.
As Mayor, Zohran will be a champion for the working people of New York. That idea might frighten the establishment and the billionaire class. Still, it is precisely why more than 100,000 volunteers turned out to support his campaign enthusiastically.
The path ahead is full of challenges. And Mamdani has to keep his soldiers with him. He must also do all that he has promised and secure adequate funds. Otherwise, he will vanish as quickly as he sprang up.
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