In a stunning upset that sent ripples through America's political landscape, New York state assembly member Zohran Kwame Mamdani upset former NY governor Andrew Cuomo -- the son of the late New York political legend Mario Cuomo -- in the Democratic primary race for New York City mayor on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, night.
The Indian connection comes via his parents -- mother, filmmaker Mira Nair and father, Indo-Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani.
Zohran, 32, a first-time mayoral candidate, secured a resounding win that saw him capture votes 'from Harlem to Bay Ridge'.
His triumph was quickly lauded by prominent figures, including US Senator Bernie Sanders, who congratulated Zohran and his 'thousands of grassroots supporters for their extraordinary campaign', adding, 'You took on the political, economic and media establishment -- and you beat them.'
As the Democratic candidate, he will take on the Republican candidate to be New York City mayor in the November 2025 election. All photographs: David 'Dee' Delgado/Reuters
Zohran will be New York City's first Muslim and Indian American mayor if elected. Incumbent mayor Eric Adams skipped the primary. He is running as an independent in the general election. Cuomo also has the option of running in the general election, reported Associated Press.
Though the race's ultimate outcome will still be decided by a ranked choice count, AP said, in which candidates with least support are eliminated and the votes cast for them are redistributed based on voter preference. However, that process won't begin until July 1.
Unofficial results from the New York City's board of elections showed that Zohran was ranked on more ballots than Cuomo.
Zohran was listed as the second choice by tens of thousands of more voters than Cuomo. And the number of votes that will factor into ranked choice voting is sure to shrink, AP wrote.
More than 200,000 voters only listed a first choice, the Board of Elections results show, meaning that Zohran's performance in the first round may ultimately be enough to clear the 50 per cent threshold, it said.
Born in Kampala, Uganda, Zohran moved to New York City with his parents at age seven. A product of the New York City public school system, he attended the Bronx High School of Science and earned a bachelor's degree in Africana studies from Bowdoin College. He became a naturalised American citizen in 2018.
Prior to his tenure in the state assembly, Zohran served as a foreclosure prevention housing counselor, a role that profoundly shaped his political awakening.
In this capacity, he assisted low-income homeowners of colour across Queens in fending off eviction, directly confronting the systemic issues he now seeks to dismantle as mayor.
'It was this job that led him to run for office,' his campaign stated. 'After having spent every day negotiating with banks that valued profits over people, he came face-to-face with the reality that this housing crisis -- one which predated this pandemic -- was not natural to our lives, but instead a choice.'
As an assembly member, Zohran has been a vocal advocate for the working class, both within and outside the legislative chambers. His notable achievements include hunger striking alongside taxi drivers to secure over $450 million in transformative debt relief, successfully lobbying for over $100 million in the state budget for increased subway service and a successful fare-free bus pilot, and mobilising New Yorkers to defeat a proposed dirty power plant.
His mayoral platform centers on addressing the escalating cost of living in New York City. His Web site, zohranfornyc.com, outlines ambitious proposals aimed at making the city more affordable and livable for all residents. He has pledged to immediately freeze rent for all stabilised tenants and leverage every available resource to build new housing and lower rents.
A cornerstone of his transit plan includes permanently eliminating fares on all city buses and significantly increasing their speed through dedicated priority lanes, expanded bus queue jump signals, and dedicated loading zones.
He also proposes implementing free childcare for all New Yorkers aged six weeks to five years, ensuring high-quality programming for every family.
To combat rising food prices, Zohran envisions a network of city-owned grocery stores focused on keeping prices low rather than generating profit.
To fund these expansive initiatives, Zohran's revenue plan outlines a multi-pronged approach. He proposes raising the corporate tax rate to match New Jersey's 11.5 percent, projected to generate $5 billion.
Additionally, he plans to impose a flat 2 percent tax on the wealthiest 1 percent of New Yorkers -- those earning above $1 million annually -- a significant shift from the current city income tax rates.
Further revenue, estimated at an additional $1 billion, would be raised through common-sense procurement reform, ending no-bid contracts, hiring more tax auditors, and cracking down on fine collection from corrupt landlords.
Zohran's journey to the mayoral primary victory follows his successful bid for the New York state assembly in November 2020. In that election, he was one of two candidates of Indian origin elected to New York state office.
As the Democratic nominee for the 36th Assembly District, Zohran, then 29, ran unopposed in the general election after a hard-fought primary in June where he defeated incumbent assembly member Aravella Simotas, securing 8,410 votes or 51.2 percent of the ballots cast, compared to Simotas's 48.6 percent.
A self-described democratic socialist and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani's political philosophy emphasises collective action and systemic change. His Web site underscores his belief that 'another world is possible, but only if we fight for it together'.'
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff
© 2025