Historic victory: US media declare Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s first Muslim mayor
New York: In a historic breakthrough for progressive politics, Zohran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, has been elected as the first Muslim mayor of New York City, US media reported on Wednesday.
Mamdani, 34, defeated former state governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as a third-party candidate after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary earlier this year. The Associated Press reported that the election recorded the city’s highest voter turnout in decades.
Running on an ambitious progressive platform, Mamdani pledged free childcare, free bus transport, and a rent freeze covering nearly one million rent-regulated tenants, promises that struck a chord with liberal and working-class voters alike.
NBC described Mamdani’s grassroots campaign as a movement built on “affordability, equity, and inclusion,” while the New York Times highlighted that he will also become the youngest person to lead New York City in over a century.
Celebrations erupted at an election night rally in Brooklyn as supporters hailed the victory as a transformative moment for both the city’s politics and its diverse communities.
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Bengaluru: First-time Congress MLAs with merit can be made ministers, says Moily
Bengaluru: Former Chief Minister Marpadi Veerappa Moily on Tuesday said that first-time Congress legislators could be considered for ministerial berths during the proposed Cabinet reshuffle if they have the requisite merit.
Moily responded to reports of over 30 first-time Congress MLAs seeking Cabinet positions by stressing the need for a Cabinet with a balance of merit among first-time, young, and senior leaders.
“We entered politics when the Chief Minister Devaraj Urs recognised us in 1972. If legislators have merit and dedication, they can be included in the Cabinet,” Deccan Herald quoted him as saying.
He said that there is nothing wrong with new MLAs aspiring for ministerial posts and that no one has the moral authority to question such aspirations. He recalled that he, too, was a newcomer in his early political days and said those with eligibility should be given ministerial posts.
“If the MLAs have merit, the Chief Minister will recognise them. In our time, we did not lobby for ministerial berths. We were recognised by the Chief Minister,” he said.
Addressing demands for a change in Chief Minister and current talk of a Cabinet reshuffle, Moily said that legislators voicing aspirations should not be seen as engaging in groupism.
He also said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to visit Karkala in Udupi district on Wednesday.
