“Baat ye nahi hai ki main kya banunga,
baat ye hain main kya karunga.”
“It’s not what I’ll be, but what I will do.”
With these words, spoken in Hindi and Urdu, New York Assembly member Zohran Mamdani opened one of the most distinctive campaign videos of the NYC mayoral primary. Addressing immigrant voters in their own language, Mamdani’s message was direct, emotional, and sharply political. He also borrowed lines from Bollywood’s iconic film Deewar (1975), contrasting his message with the familiar face of former governor Andrew Cuomo. “Billionaires already have everything. Now it’s your time,” he declared, responding directly to Amitabh Bachchan’s classic dialogue. The video promised rent relief, free buses, universal childcare, and cheaper groceries, framing the race as a crusade for working-class New Yorkers. Mamdani’s message found resonance at the ballot box on Tuesday.
Zohran Kwame Mamdani, 33, is no stranger to political movements. The son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani, he immigrated from Uganda as a child, became a U.S. citizen in 2018, and launched a state-level political career focused on housing justice. He hit his fundraising stride by maxing out New York City’s public matching funds system, raising more than $8 million from over 20,000 donors.
Meanwhile, Andrew Cuomo, seeking a political comeback after resigning in 2021 amid a sexual harassment scandal, entered the Democratic mayoral primary with significant firepower. His campaign was backed by major union endorsements, billionaire-funded super PACs totaling over $27 million, and high-profile endorsements from Bill Clinton and Michael Bloomberg, but this alone couldn’t carry him across the finish line.
Despite being heavily outspent, Mamdani’s campaign leaned on a strong ground game. Over 29,000 volunteers reached out to voters in multiple languages, including Hindi, Bangla, Spanish, and Arabic. The campaign released a series of multilingual videos, including one in Hindi-Urdu that became widely shared among South Asian communities. Mamdani’s message focused on rent stabilization, city grocery stores, and ending real estate influence. Yet challenges persisted. Mamdani faced well-funded negative ads accusing him of being “divisive” and “anti-Israel.”
Zohran Mamdani vs Andrew Cuomo in NYC Mayoral Primary
Andrew Cuomo framed his campaign around strong governance, mental health, and combating antisemitism. He aimed to revive his status within the Democratic establishment. But critics argue his image suffered from a tone-deaf campaign and late field operations. Billionaire backing and union endorsements were not enough to overcome Mamdani’s energetic grassroots and digital-first strategy. Political observers see this primary as a decider in the struggle between the party’s moderate old guard and a progressive wave powered by organizing and cultural connection, according to The Washington Post.
The formal result of the primary won’t be known until at least July 1, when New York City releases the initial ranked-choice results. But Mamdani held a clear lead on Tuesday, and Cuomo told supporters he had called Mamdani to concede defeat.
As Mamdani prepares for the general election on November 4, he is expected to face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams (running as an independent), GOP candidate Curtis Sliwa, and possibly Cuomo should he enter as an independent. Meanwhile, Cuomo’s path forward remains uncertain, as insiders caution that a third-party bid would be challenging after the primary setback.
