HISTORY was made in New York two weeks ago when 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a young Muslim, thwarted attempts by Trump to get elected a person of his choice as Mayor of the financial capital of the world.
Mamdani’s victory in New York’s mayoral race and other re-cent electoral successes have energized Democrats in the US and left-wing parties worldwide. Hailed by progressives as a generational shift in leadership, he will be the first Muslim and first South Asian mayor of New York and one of its youngest ever, a true history maker. He defeated a staunch Trump-backed rival and challenged a system built on flaws, exposing injustice, greed and the deep divide between rich and poor.
Highlighting the undercurrents dominating the miseries of the average New Yorker, he became their voice, proving that money and open Trump backing could not secure his opponent the prestigious mayoral title. Yet Mamdani faces stiff opposition over his plans to raise taxes on the rich, notably from President Donald Trump, who has threatened to withhold federal funds. His rise electrified the city; New Yorkers everywhere were already calling him their mayor. Pakistani New Yorkers celebrated with “Dhol” beats and his viral debate performances and constant sight-ings fueled excitement, creating a unique celebrity aura where each appearance drew wild cheers.
Mamdani’s win comes at a particularly dark time in the city, when Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits for millions of New Yorkers have been paused because of the government shutdown and many others are set to deal with prohibitive health care costs as a result of the Trump administration’s legislation. Yet Mamdani’s centering of working-class concerns and laser-sharp focus on affordability also give many New Yorkers hope. They saw his campaign as a challenge to take on the policies of Trump, who endorsed Mamdani’s main opponent, the former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. On the eve of the election, Trump threatening to block funds to New York if Mamdani were elected. Mamdani has re-peatedly talked about being open to working with Trump if he were to “talk about his prom-ised agenda of lowering the cost of living,” but “not at the expense of New Yorkers”.
In his victory speech from the Brooklyn Paramount theater, Mamdani directly addressed Trump, saying, “So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up.” In his recent interviews, Mamdani had consistently talked about “utilizing the power” he would have as mayor, comparing it to how Republicans often wield their authority in public office. In his speech, Mamdani told working-class New Yorkers that “this city is your city and this democracy is yours too,” and declared that he fully understood the extent of the power he now held and was not afraid to use it. With over 50% of the total votes cast in his favor, Mamdani has a decisive mandate to implement his core agenda of af-fordability.
Mamdani’s win in the general election is historic in ways that go beyond his identity as New York’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor — he is a generational candidate who has ma-naged to draw New Yorkers out of political apathy in the wake of Trump’s win and suffuse the city with a kind of energy that feels both collective and kinetic. Through an army of more than 100,000 volunteers, Mamdani’s campaign focused on door to door contact with voters to convince them to vote for him. Even though Mamdani is yet to take office (which will happen in January), his campaign seems to have already transformed the city’s political estab-lishment. Over 2 million votes were cast — a turnout the likes of which haven’t been seen in New York since 1969. South Asians and Muslim voters, who were among the majority of first-time voters added to the electorate as a result of Mamdani’s primary campaign, also be-came a prominent part of New York City’s polling infrastructure — a significant departure from previous elections. But among the biggest changes wrought by Mamdani’s campaign is the direct and central focus on the concerns of working-class New Yorkers.
Even though the weeks before his primary win were marred by claims of Mamdani being “anti-Semitic” — based on his pro-Palestinian views and initial refusal to condemn the slogan “Globalize the intifada” — and “anti-Hindu,” after he called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “war criminal” at a June mayoral forum, he pressed on. He also received a death threat, highlighting the pervasiveness of hostility in his public life, while conservatives pushed to revoke his citizenship and deport him. In a deeply moving speech days before the election, Mamdani tearfully acknowledged the cost of being Muslim in public office and “leaving his faith in the shadows.” Standing outside a New York mosque, Mamdani — whose politics have long coexisted with his Muslim identity — declared: “To be Muslim in New York is to expect indignity. … For too long, we have been told to be satisfied with whatever little we receive. … No more.” As he spoke of saying “goodbye” to the anti-Muslim sentiment that has grown “so endemic in the city,” Mamdani had already turned the page on a new chapter. Now the city has its first Muslim, South Asian mayor-elect, an immigrant unapologetic about all of it and the book of a new New York is waiting to be written.
—The writer is Former Civil Servant and Consultant (ILO) & International Organisation for Migration and author of seven books.
