Daijiworld Media Network – New York

New York, Nov 10: Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old state Assembly member, has made history by winning the New York City mayoral race, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo by nearly 10 percentage points. His victory marks a major milestone as he becomes the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor-elect.

However, Mamdani’s win has sparked backlash from some Republican lawmakers in Washington, DC, who have vowed to block him from taking office. Former US President Donald Trump also reignited controversy by spreading false claims about Mamdani’s citizenship and calling him a “communist.”

Several Republican legislators, led by Andy Ogles, have demanded investigations into Mamdani’s naturalisation, alleging without evidence that he was involved in “communist” and “terrorist” activities. “If Mamdani lied on his naturalisation documents, he doesn’t get to be a citizen, and he certainly doesn’t get to run for mayor of New York City,” Ogles said, urging the US attorney general to review the matter.

Born in Uganda, Mamdani moved to the US at the age of seven and became a citizen in 2018. Legal experts have dismissed the claims against him, noting that denaturalisation—the process of revoking citizenship—is rare and requires clear, convincing proof of fraud.

“Denaturalisation is an extreme, rare remedy that needs unequivocal evidence,” immigration lawyer Jeremy McKinney told PolitiFact. “I’ve seen no credible proof he was ineligible when he took the oath.”

While the New York Young Republican Club cited the 14th Amendment to try barring Mamdani from office, experts say the move is legally weak and would face an uphill battle in the courts.

Despite the political storm, Mamdani’s supporters have hailed his victory as a breakthrough moment for representation and diversity in US politics.