What a scintillating victory speech. Zohran Mamdani stepped into the large shoes he has created for himself as the Mayor of New York quoting Jawaharlal Nehru. “A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance, “ Mamdani quoted, igniting hearts not just in New York, the United States but across the world
“ Hope over tyranny, hope over despair, hope over big money”… and the crowd burst into resounding applause every minute of his inspiring speech. “My friends, we have toppled a political dynasty,” he said.
Despite all odds, 34 year old Zohran Mamdani has won the elections for Mayor, New York. His ceaseless energy, an excellent campaign, a determined and focused agenda, and his penchant for straight talk brought this young man – son of an Indian filmmaker and Ugandan academic– a clear, resounding victory at the polls. An election that has attracted global eyeballs, and has people all across the world commenting on the campaign and his victory today.
There was nothing he did not face, but publicly there was no dent in his smiling persona, his words, or his ideology. Repeatedly called a communist by US President Donald Trump who entered the elections for Mayor with his onslaught against Mamdani, the young man described himself as a socialist and outlined an agenda for New York city as ambitious as it was clearly welcome. From free buses to affordable health care and housing to government regulated fair price shops (not in the Indian sense of course) Mamdani offered a long list of promises that he claimed to have actual action plans for.
But look at what Mamdani has gone through ever since he threw his hat into the arena as it were. One, a strong and increasingly vicious personalised attack by Trump on the young man. He referred to Mamdani in almost every other interaction, and his last was particularly desperate. “Any Jewish person that votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self professed jew hater, is a stupid person!!” New York with its resounding mandate for Mamdani, proved Trump stupid and more. Trump was joined in his bigotry by Elon Musk of course.
Two, a strong concerted attack by big money and the media networks following their diktat. The big corporates opposed him, even the anti-Trump media networks like CNN were highly critical of him, and although he became big enough to merit interviews on almost all platforms the media per se was certainly not rooting for him. But the people were, and Mamdani addressed the voters directly. He owned his origins, he took pride in being a son of interracial parents, a Muslim and yet carried out a campaign that cut through all barriers in the highly complex and difficult city of New York. He danced with the African Americans; he ate biryani with his hands (despite the vicious trolling) with the Muslims; he had several interactions with the Jews of New York, receiving warm appreciation from the younger generation; he explored and addressed the New Yorkers and the different races and colours that have made America’s largest city a home.
And in his victory speech asserted his identity as a New Yorker, a Muslim, a democratic socialist and asserted, “I refuse to apologise for who I am.”
And three, the rumour machine which reflected a pot pourri of corporates, big media, Republicans, and others that threw mud on him every single day. Trump led the pack with his insults from the White House, and the threats to cut funding for New York if it voted for Mamdani. The trolls were busy with vicious rumours that even included his marital relations. Nasty and as it turns out, totally desperate.
Significantly, and this could be the fourth point here, the Democrats did not come out in full support of Mamdani even though he was their candidate. He smiled away questions from reporters about this but the Opposition party will have to do some serious soul searching to work its way through this victory. Lessons will have to be learnt so that the Democrats finally emerge from their holes to challenge Trump on the ground. Mamdani has broken the silence rather effectively.
Mamdani worked on three pivots. One, his campaign.This was direct, people led, and cut down the impact of propaganda through the media and the social media. As he said, 90000 volunteers spread themselves through the city and knocked on each and every door. Amidst them was Mamdani himself, energetic, earnest and enthusiastic as he interacted with the people on the streets, in stores, at meetings, in interviews, and at events. He was there at every turn, visible in his honesty and palpable determination.
Two, his ideology that spoke of equality and challenged big money. In this he rolled in Trump and his main rival Andrew Cuomo and all such, making it clear that he stood to challenge authoritarianism, capital led cronyism and was a creature of democracy. He stood up to Trump even as many in America were fearful of their President’s threats and intimidation, and looked with awe at the young man who did not seem to have a nervous bone in his body. He spoke for the truth, for equality, for rights with a conviction that passed into the voters and clearly influenced the final vote. Mamdani was able to marry the one and the two, giving teeth to his ideology through an action plan.
Three, his support for a just world order. This in fact, got him into controversy at the onset when he supported the Palestinians and condemned the genocide. Despite this Mamdani did not back off from what he believed, he just spent time and energy placing it in context and assuring the skeptics that he was not against Jews as the corporations and the media propagated, but against what Israel was doing to the Palestinians. This resonated, and restored the balance.
And thus, four. His personality that allowed him to explain each and every canard levelled against him to the groups that were impacted. He did not withdraw into a defensive shell by disowning his identity or his words; but by owning himself and explaining misconceptions. He called out the lies being spread about him, not defensively but through the articulation of his position on issues such as religion, race and finance. His attack on Trump was not personal, but political as he sought to draw a rights based, democratic alternative to what the US President has set loose through the country.
Mamdani and his campaign will have to hit the ground running. To fulfil the huge expectations that his campaign has raised. But he is entitled to a short —maybe just a day or a few hours– pause to reflect on and celebrate the victory. He asked New Yorkers to breathe the victory in, breathe in the air of a city that has been re-born. As there are many lessons to be learnt through the New Yorkers vote and the responsibilities it has placed on the victors shoulders. Even as Trump’s poll ratings drop, the Democrats can score their successes in these polls. Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the Virginia Governor’s as the first woman to occupy this seat. And Democrat Mikie Sherill won the New Jersey’s Governor’s elections.
The young Mayor will have more support from his party now that he has trounced Cuomo and is firmly in the saddle. But his real strength will remain the people of New York, those who defied intimidation and propaganda to stay by his side. Every promise he implements will weaken the likes of Trump, and in the process despite being just a Mayor he has become world famous. Mamdani has shown the way to the Opposition at home and in the world.
Cover Photograph AI generated by The Citizen.