Zohran Mamdani's New York City

The resounding victory of Indian-origin Zohran Kwame Mamdani in the New York City mayoral election brought new hope to the working class. The victory has also given ripples in the Oval Office and to the plans of US President Donald Trump, who is trying to keep the entire world on his side by speaking the language of intimidation. Trump used every weapon in his quiver to ensure the defeat of Mamdani and even announced that he would stop federal aid to New York. The fact that the people rejected these threats to vote Mamdani to victory is interpreted as a setback to Trump's extreme Gung-ho approach to immigration and tariff policy.

Indians do have reasons to rejoice as Mamdani is the son of Mira Nair, the celebrated Indian filmmaker. Born in Uganda to Mira Nair, who has Punjab-Delhi family roots, and Mahmood Mamdani, a professor at Columbia University, Zohran Mamdani is also the first Muslim to become the mayor of New York. He is also the first person born in Africa to become the mayor of New York.

After winning the New York Mayor election, Mamdani took the stage to address the audience by quoting Nehru's famous "Tryst with Destiny" speech delivered on August 14, 1947.

New York is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in. Mamdani presented voters with a detailed picture of economic measures he had envisaged to bring down the cost of living. His promises included rent control, free bus travel, provision stores controlled by local governments, and free childcare for children up to the age of five. While Trump's tariff war has led to a huge increase in prices in the United States, Mamdani's plans attracted people.

Unlike Trump, who favours the interests of businessmen and the uber-rich, Mamdani floated an idea to elevate the standard of living of labourers in common. Despite a cyber-attack and a massive campaign targeting his religion, Mamdani emerged as the winner for being among the people and hearing their issues.

Mamdani, who espouses left values and a fierce critic of Israel, stands at the opposite pole of Trump in terms of ideology and practice. It should be seen how New York will change under the helm of this 34-year-old former housing counsellor.