In a big setback for US President Donald Trump, leftist Zohran Mamdani has been elected as the Mayor of the New York City in a significant victory for Democrats. The 34-year-old will be New York City’s youngest and first Muslim mayor. He will replace Mayor Eric Adams. Zohran defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Zohran Mamdani is the first muslim, first Indian -American origin and also the first African born individual to hold the prestigious office. The fact that he won against a fierce and vociferous campaign by Trump and his business elites against his Muslim heritage. He campaigned effectively and won support of voters for his promises to arrest the rising rents, soaring cost of living expenses, providing free city bus travel, childcare centres and city run grocery stores, if voted to power as the Mayor of the largest city in USA.
The election of Zohran Mamdani as Mayor will be viewed as a big defeat for Trump because he openly announced support to independent candidate Cuomo, who lost Democratic primary to Mamdani in June this year. Former president Barack Obama also hit the campaign trail and backed the Democrats. He congratulated all candidates who won in these elections. Meanwhile, Donald Trump reacted to the Republicans losing the elections and asked them to return to work.
The election saw more than two million voters exercising their franchise, making it the biggest turnout in the city’s electoral history since 1969. At one stage, Trump even threatened to freeze federal funding and take New York if Mamdani wins. However, Mamdani’s populist campaign resonated well with all sections of voters and ultimately resulted in a massive victory.
Zohran Mamdani was born in 1992 in Kampala of Uganda. He is the son of scholar Mahamood Mamdani and Indian filmmaker Mira Nair. He settled in New York after his family migrated from South Africa. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 2014 with a degree in Africana Studies.
Now, questions remain about Zohran Mamdani will fund all his ambitious promises against Trump’s adminstration. He will take charge on January 1st.
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