In Republic of NYC, another America

In Republic of NYC, Democrats have chosen Zohran Mamdani as their party's candidate for the city's mayoral election in November. If he wins, the 33-yr-old Ugandan-Indian will not only be the first person of South Asian origin, and first Muslim, but also the Big Apple's first millennial mayor. That gives you an idea of New York as Planet B to Trumpland America in its utter chutzpah for inclusiveness and throwaway pride in diversity. For us in India, xenophobically obsessing about 'place of origin' of people in public office, a city that was the epicentre of 9/11 - when Mamdani was 10 - having an 'outsider' as a future mayor can be mind-boggling.

The former rap music producer stole a march on born-to-the-manor former New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Effectively, NYC's Democrats have plumped for the exact opposite image of the city's other son, Donald Trump. Mamdani now enters the mayoral race as front runner. His candidature is also a pushback to Trump's vision of the US. It's not just Mamdani's very vocal views on Israel-Palestine - he has denounced Israel's actions in Gaza, calling them 'acts of genocide' - but also his position on immigration that makes him chalk to Trump's cheese. Uganda, where he was born, is on the Trump regime's 'travel ban to the US' list.

Mamdani, a member of the New York state assembly since 2021, has a message for the Democrat machinery too: his victory in the primary is of the outsider over the ultimate insider, Cuomo, who was backed by Wall St and Big Money. His popularity rests on his focus on cost-of-living issues - housing, transport, childcare, food prices. Whether he becomes NYC's 111th mayor or not, by his candidature, we are reminded that the 'other America' is still very much there.