What Mamdani’s win means for the world
Zohran Mamdani has been elected as the new Mayor of New York City, the most populous and economically powerful city in the United States, often seen as a global hub for finance, commerce, and technology. The election drew worldwide attention and became one of the biggest political talking points in recent times. Mamdani’s victory as the first person of South Asian descent, the first Muslim, and the youngest in over a century to become New York’s mayor is nothing short of historic.
While these achievements alone are remarkable, Mamdani’s win carries deeper meaning, not just for American politics, but for the global political landscape. His rise to power in one of the world’s most influential cities is expected to create ripples across political systems and inspire movements far beyond the United States.
When the election process began, Mamdani wasn’t even considered a serious contender within his own Democratic Party. His chances were pegged at barely one percent, and many dismissed him as inexperienced. His turnaround from an underdog to the Mayor of New York is an inspiring story that will find a place in history. Standing up to some of New York’s biggest political heavyweights, Mamdani’s journey has become a modern-day David versus Goliath story, driven by perseverance, conviction, and a clear ideological purpose that will inspire young politicians across the world.
As the campaign progressed, several powerful leaders, including the US President Donald Trump, openly opposed him. Major American corporations also poured money into the race against Mamdani. According to Forbes, at least 26 billionaires collectively spent more than $22 million to support his opponents and run negative ads. Unmoved by these efforts, Mamdani stayed focused on grassroots support. His campaign attracted over 40,000 small donors, with an average contribution of just $98, the lowest in the race. In doing so, he proved that corporate money in politics has its limits.
Besides financial opposition, Mamdani faced intense racist and Islamophobic attacks. He was accused of sympathizing with terrorism, with his main opponent Andrew Cuomo even endorsing such sentiments indirectly. Despite this, Mamdani never hid his Muslim identity and campaigned on a message of inclusion and equality. Instead of responding to hate with hate, he stayed calm and focused on real issues that mattered to people.
His promises, from free childcare and public-funded affordable housing to city-owned grocery stores, rent freezes, and higher taxes on the wealthy, resonated deeply with ordinary New Yorkers. People realized that these were the issues that truly impacted their lives. At a time when most politicians rely on empty rhetoric and divisive narratives, Mamdani’s focus on everyday concerns set him apart.
Unlike many politicians who shy away from ideological labels, Mamdani proudly called himself a “Democratic Socialist” and promised to live by those values. In the heart of global capitalism, his unwavering ideological clarity stood out. Even when Trump mocked him as a “Crazy Marxist,” Mamdani remained composed and refused to engage in vindictive politics.
In a world witnessing rising anti-immigrant sentiment and nationalist movements, Mamdani’s election, an immigrant becoming the Mayor of New York, offers hope. It reinforces the idea that migration continues to be a powerful force shaping human progress and cultural exchange.
During the campaign, a video of Mamdani eating biryani with his hands went viral. While many saw it as a celebration of his cultural roots, others mocked it as “unsanitary” and “third world.” Such comments reflected a lingering colonial mindset rooted in Western superiority. Mamdani, however, stayed true to his heritage, even playing “Dhoom Machale” at his victory event.
What made Mamdani stand out even more was his clear stand on the Palestinian issue. He called Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide” and compared the situation to “apartheid.” In a city with about 1.3 million Jewish residents, the second-largest Jewish community in the world, his position was both bold and principled. Mamdani declared that as mayor, he would honor any International Criminal Court warrant against Israeli leaders, including arresting Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited New York. While critics accused him of antisemitism, Mamdani clarified that he opposed Zionism, not Judaism, standing firm on humanitarian grounds.
Even after his victory, it’s widely expected that Mamdani will face hurdles in governing. Trump had earlier threatened to cut federal funding to New York if Mamdani won. But Mamdani has remained defiant, saying he would not be intimidated and would instead asked Trump to “turn the volume up.” His resilience offers a lesson to leaders everywhere about standing firm on values, even under pressure.
In the United States, both major political parties, the Democrats and Republicans are often seen as “the same wine in different bottles,” with little difference in ideology or policy. It remains to be seen whether Mamdani’s victory will push the Democratic Party toward ideological introspection.
Mamdani’s victory has undoubtedly turned a new leaf in the present political scenario across the world. It has opened about a new ray of hope for the dwindling “issue based inclusive politics” all around the globe. It is curious to know how Mamdani’s own journey unfolds after a new chapter in his political journey. Whether his promise of issue based inclusive politics with “Democratic Socialism” at its helm reaches its logical end is another equally curious thing to watch out in the near future.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Indigo flights chaos: SCR to run special trains to clear passenger rush
Hyderabad (PTI): The South Central Railway on Saturday announced that it would run four special trains to manage the surge in passengers resulting from the large-scale cancellation of IndiGo flights here.
The move comes as flyers face significant disruption and long queues at the airport due to the cancellation.
A press release from the SCR said it is running the special trains to clear the extra rush of passengers to Chennai, Mumbai and Shalimar (Kolkata) from Hyderabad today.
Meanwhile, as many as 43 outbound Indigo flights were cancelled from here on Saturday, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport sources said.
Similarly, 26 incoming flights are also likely to be cancelled during the day, they said.
The flight cancellations drew ire from passengers, who thronged the IndiGo counters at the airport demanding to know the exact situation.
“This is utter nonsense! Digiyatra done, message received that departure has been rescheduled ahead of the scheduled departure and now upon arriving at Hyderabad airport coming to know at the security checkpoint that Indigo flight is cancelled,” Tarun Singha, former Ministry of Defence spokesperson said in a post on X.
“But the thing is if you don’t shout they do nothing. Example at Hyderabad Airport, there was no staff no flight information for an hour. Then a fellow passenger started shouting on mic and an Indigo staff appeared finally,” a netizen said in a post.
On Friday, when IndiGo cancelled over 1,000 flights from across airports, its CEO Pieter Elbers apologised in a video message for the major inconvenience caused to passengers due to the disruptions.
In the one-way video communication, Elbers also said that the airline was expecting fewer than 1,000 flights on Saturday.
