New Delhi, June 27
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday praised the Indian-origin American Sohran Mamdani for winning a chance to be the Democratic nominee for the upcoming New York mayor elections, calling for his party to also adopt similar types of tactics for elections across the country.
"The method of campaigning in cities by Mamdani is an example for Congress. Will we dare? Are we ready to raise our voice against injustice? Rahul Gandhi ji has rightly said, O Congress workers, "Do not fear." Our election symbol is the hand. That is, the "fearless gesture." Fight fearlessly against injustice. If we fight, we will win. Jai Siya Ram," the Congress MP posted on X in Hindi.
Mamdani, who has Indian ancestry but was born in Uganda and raised in the US, had already made history as the first South Asian man and only the third Muslim elected to the New York State Assembly.
During the democratic primary elections, his political platform focused on progressive reforms, including rent freezes, universal childcare, free public transportation, and tax reforms targeting the wealthy.
Political figures across the progressive spectrum lauded his recent primary win. Former Governor Cuomo, in his concession speech, acknowledged Mamdani's strong grassroots campaign.
Earlier, Actor-turned-politician and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut raised questions on the cultural and religious identity of Mamdani.
Following his victory, Ranaut took to her X handle (formerly Twitter) and shared her thoughts on a video clip of an old protest led by Mamdani.
Ranaut wrote, "His mother is Mira Nair, one of our best filmmakers, Padmashri, a beloved and celebrated daughter born and raised in great Bharat based in New York. She married Mehmood Mamdani (Gujarati origin), a celebrated author, and her son is named Zohran. He sounds more Pakistani than Indian... whatever happened to his Hindu identity or bloodline, and now he is ready to wipe out Hinduism, wow!! It's the same story everywhere. On a different note, I met Mira ji on a couple of occasions--congratulations to the parents. #ZohranMamdani."
A 33-year-old democratic socialist and sitting New York State Assembly member, he recently emerged victorious over former Governor Andrew Cuomo, positioning him to potentially become the city's first Muslim mayor.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Digvijaya Singh makes a valid point about learning from grassroots campaigns. But Congress needs more than just tactics - they need a clear vision for India's future. Mamdani's success abroad doesn't automatically translate to Indian politics. 🇮🇳
Kangana's comments were completely unnecessary. Why bring religion into this? Mamdani's achievements should be celebrated as an Indian-origin success story. His progressive policies could actually teach us something about urban development in Indian cities. ✨
Interesting how Congress leaders look to NRI politicians for inspiration but ignore successful Indian political models. Maybe they should focus more on connecting with ground realities here than copying Western campaigns. #IndianSolutionsForIndianProblems
As someone who follows US politics, I appreciate Mamdani's focus on public transport and childcare. Our cities desperately need such progressive thinking. But can Congress actually implement these ideas without proper funding and planning? 🤔
Instead of just praising foreign politicians, Congress should highlight their own young leaders doing good work in India. We have enough talent here - they just need proper platform and support from the party high command.
The rent freeze idea is interesting! With skyrocketing housing costs in Mumbai/Delhi, maybe Indian parties should consider similar policies. But implementation would be tough - our real estate lobby is too powerful 😅 Still, good to see new ideas being discussed!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.