Zohran Mamdani's NYC mayoral win draws sharp political reactions in India

Congress and BJP leaders criticise Mamdani for past comments on Modi, Ayodhya, and 2002 riots after his Democratic primary win for New York City mayor

Zohran Kwame Mamdani’s victory in the Democratic primary race for New York City mayor has evoked sharp reactions in India.

 

In a post on X, Congress Rajya Sabha member Abhishek Singhvi said: “When Zohran Mamdani opens his mouth, Pakistan’s PR team takes the day off. India doesn’t need enemies with ‘allies’ like him shouting fiction from New York.”

 

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha member Kangana Ranaut also reacted on X, appending a video clip of Mamdani participating in a protest against the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on “the ruins of Babri Masjid”, and insinuated that he is anti-Hindu. “He sounds more Pakistani than Indian,” she said. 

 

In the past, Mamdani has criticised the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat. More recently, he said he would not share a stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drawing a parallel between Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

 

A senior Sangh Parivar leader, who handles diaspora outreach, described Mamdani as having close ties with the Pakistani diaspora in the US and as someone known to take anti-India positions.

 

During Mamdani's election campaign, the India Impact Fund—an organisation that promotes the participation of South Asian Americans in US politics—supported him. Other groups, such as 'Indian Americans for Cuomo' (supporting his rival Andrew Cuomo) and the 'American Hindu Coalition', opposed him.