Zohran Kwame Mamdani becomes the first-Indian-origin Muslim Mayor

Zohran Kwame Mamdani makes history as he becomes the first Indian-origin and first African-born mayor of America's biggest city, New York.

Mamdani has gathered support all over New York City for his efforts to work for ordinary people and speaking about issues that matter to working-class people.

His victory is also an important event for the progressive (left-leaning) wing of the Democratic Party, especially now when the party is split on how to challenge Donald Trump and his influence in US politics.

Mamdani defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for the second time, repeating his earlier victory in the June Democratic primary.

Notably, Mamdani (34) will also become the youngest Mayor of New York in more than a century after his swearing-in ceremony on January 1, 2026.

More than 2 million New Yorkers voted in the election, making it the city’s highest turnout for a mayoral race since 1969, according to the Board of Elections.

However, Mamdani's victory represents his win from being an underdog candidate to a major political figure. Throughout his campaign, Mamdani was exposed to sharp criticism from Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who labelled him as a "communist", threatened to freeze federal funding, and "take over" New York if he won. Trump also questioned his eligibility, despite Mamdani being a naturalised US citizen since 2018.