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Nehru mentioned, Mira Nair thanked, Dhoom song played: Key moments from Zohran Mamdani's victory speech
The 33-year-old Mamdani defeated former governor of New York Andrew Cuomo, who was contesting the polls as an Independent candidate.
Democrat candidate Zohran Mamdani on Tuesdayw won the mayoral elections for New York City, becoming the city's first Muslim mayor as well as the youngest to hold the post.
The 33-year-old defeated former governor of New York Andrew Cuomo, who was contesting the polls as an Independent candidate. Mamdani will replace predecessor Eric Adams, who had dropped his reelection bid in September.
Following the success of his digital and social media-savvy campaign primarily focused on cost-of-living in New York and other welfare issues, Mamdani delivered an electrifying victory speech.
Key moments from Zohran Mamdani's victory speech
📌 In his victory speech, Mamdani promised to fight for all New Yorkers, whether they are “an immigrant, a member of the trans community, one of the many Black women that Donald Trump has fired from a federal job, a single mom still waiting for the cost of groceries to go down, or anyone else with their back against the wall.”
📌 The Democrat celebrated his victory by citing Nehru's iconic Tryst with Destiny speech. “A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance,” he said.
📌 After the conclusion of Mamdani's victory speech, the ‘Dhoom’ song played in the background as he celebrated with his wife, Rama Duwaji. Following this, his mother, filmmaker Mira Nair and father, Mahmood Mamdani, also stepped on the stage to hug their son.
📌 Mamdani asserted that he would not “apologise” for his age, identity and ideology. “I am young, despite my best efforts to grow older. I am Muslim. I am a Democratic Socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologise for any of this,” he said.
📌 Further, during the speech, Mamdani directly addressed United States President Donald Trump, who had publicly backed rival candidate Andrew Cuomo. Trump had also warned of funding cuts if Mamdani wins the elections. “Donald Trump, I know you are watching, so I have four words for you; turn the volume up,” Mamdani said.
📌 While stating that New Yorkers had chosen “hope over fear”, Mamdani said, “Each morning, I will rise with one purpose, to make this city better than it was yesterday. Many thought this day would never come, that politics had become too cruel for hope to survive. But tonight, New York has proven them wrong.”
📌 Mamdani thanked the residents of New York City, his campaign team, parents and wife Rama Duwaji in his speech. “New York City — breathe this moment in. After years of holding our breath in anticipation of defeat, we can finally exhale and feel the rebirth of our city. To my campaign team, you turned belief into reality; my gratitude is endless. To my parents, Mama and Baba, you made me who I am. And to my wife, Rama, my love, my strength, there’s no one I’d rather share this moment with,” he said.
