Amaravati– Andhra Pradesh Minister for Human Resources Development, Information Technology and Electronics Nara Lokesh on Wednesday congratulated Zohran Mamdani on his election as Mayor of New York City, calling the campaign that led to his victory a lesson in contemporary political strategy.
Lokesh, who also serves as General Secretary of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), praised Mamdani’s messaging, digital outreach, and connection with voters. In a post on social platform X, he said Mamdani’s campaign demonstrated how politics is evolving in the modern era.
“As a young politician of Indian heritage, his campaign has been a masterclass in modern politics — sharp messaging, smart social media and authentic people connect. Politics evolves, and so must we. Lots of lessons for budding politicians across the world,” Lokesh wrote.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old Democratic socialist, defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to become the first Muslim and the first person of Indian descent to be elected Mayor of New York City. Born in Kampala, Uganda, he is the son of scholar Mahmood Mamdani and acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair.
His childhood took him from Uganda to South Africa and then to the United States. He attended the Bronx High School of Science and later graduated from Bowdoin College in 2014 with a degree in Africana Studies.
During his victory speech, Mamdani quoted India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, declaring that New York had stepped “from the old into the new,” describing the election result as a break from entrenched political power structures.
Mamdani also noted that his win represented the triumph of a new generation over longstanding political dynasties.
“Tonight, we have stepped out from the old into the new,” he said.
Mamdani is also the youngest person ever elected to serve as Mayor of New York City. (Source: IANS)
