Zohran Mamdani Wins NYC Mayoral Elections! Becomes The First Indian-Origin Muslim Mayor

Zohran Mamdani’s months of hard work have finally led to the verdict. NYC had finally named its new mayor, making history as the first Muslim, first Indian-origin, and first African-born mayor of America’s biggest city and financial capital. After months of back-and-forth, rallies, and campaigns, Zohran will take office as the Mayor of the concrete jungle.

Zohran Mamdani wins the NYC mayoral elections

Zohran Mamdani’s meteoric rise has been a victory for the once-underdog candidate, whose populist working-class message and personal charisma energised voters across New York’s five boroughs. The political figure’s win also marks a major moment for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party at a time when national Democrats are divided over how to counter President Donald Trump.

The polls had been keeping Zohran and former New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, in a tough competition. However, early projections showed that Zohran would defeat former New York Governor for the second time, after first toppling him in the June 2025 Democratic primary. Republican Curtis Sliwa, who stayed in the race despite Trump’s jibes, trailed far behind. Zohran’s team shared a clip on Instagram celebrating the successful election.

NYC chooses Zohran Mamdani despite Donald Trump’s harsh criticism

For the unversed, more than 2 million New Yorkers voted in the election, making it the city’s highest turnout for a mayoral race since 1969, according to the Board of Elections. Throughout his campaign, Zohran Mamdani has been under fire from Republicans, including Trump, who has labelled him a “communist” and threatened to freeze federal funds and “take over” New York if he won.

Trump also questioned his eligibility, despite the Democrat being a naturalised US citizen since 2018. Born in Uganda to writer Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani, both of whom have Indian roots, Mamdani moved to New York as a child and grew up in Queens.

Netizens congratulate Zohran Mamdani

As soon as the video was shared on Zohran Mamdani’s Instagram feed, netizens started chiming in to congratulate the new leader. A user penned, “The good people of this country, from all over, are celebrating for NYC tonight.” A comment read, “Let’s Gooooooooo.” A user said, “Well deserved, congratulations, you work hard and NYC ppl deserve the best.” While a comment read, “Changing your name to Mayor in my phone…congrats!!! NYC is lucky to have you leading!” Another commenter said, “What an incredibly inspiring campaign. New York is lucky to have you.”

Zohran Kawme had won over the people with his Bollywood-coded campaign for his mayoral race

Zohran Mamdani drew the attention of youth immigrants and working-class New Yorkers by embracing his South Asian heritage. His criticism of Israeli policy and vocal advocacy of Palestinian rights have divided the voters, with some making several accusations against him of being anti-Israel. He has also been branded ‘anti-Hindu’ by some groups following comments about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

His Muslim heritage has also drawn significant vitriol from some quarters. However, Zohran has used this to his advantage by incorporating some attacks into his speeches and responses. Zohran maintained his focus on key campaign themes. He released a campaign video on X filled with iconic Bollywood film scenes and music. The politician used Hindi as his language of communication, explaining the voting process and his agenda, and criticising his primary rival, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, who is backed by President Donald Trump. 

Congratulations, Zohran Mamdani!

Next Read: Debra Messing Trolled For Labelling Zohran A ‘Radical Threat’, Calls It The Deadliest Day For Jews