Zohran Mamdani, 33, is set to become the first Indian-origin mayor of New York City after his contender and former governor, Andrew M Cuomo conceded defeat.
The disgraced but well-financed Cuomo, 67, and Mamdani — who could become NYC’s first Muslim mayor — were among the nine candidates in the fray in pre-primary surveys, according to the Washington Post.
Mamdani, son of Indian filmmaker Mira Nair, identifies as a democratic socialist and has the backing of Senators Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Mamdani’s Election Campaign
His campaing centered around affordable cost of living in the city, that houses most of the world’s billionaires according to Forbes, with cutting costs that he says are “crushing working people.” He has rallied for freezing rent costs for stabilised tenants, making city buses fare free, and providing public child care for children under the age of six.
He also campaigned for city-owned grocery stores that buy and sell at wholesale prices.
Mamdani has also called for raising the minimum wage to $30 an hour by 2030. He says he would pay for his plans by raising the corporate tax rate to 11.5 per cent and taxing New Yorkers who earn more than $1 million annually at a flat 2 per cent rate.
Who Is Zohran Mamdani?
Mamdani was born to Indian filmmaker Mira Nair and her husband Mahmood Mamdani in Uganda. He moved to New York at the age of 7 and became a citizen of the US in 2018.
He worked as a foreclosure prevention housing counselor in Queens, an effort focused on helping low-income homeowners of color. It was this role of his that inspired him to enter politics.
He was elected to a state Assembly in 2020 from Queens and represented neighborhoods that include Astoria, Ditmars-Steinway and Astoria Heights.
He attended Bowdoin College, where he received a bachelor’s degree in African studies and co-founded the school’s Students for Justice in Palestine chapter.
