The real lesson from Zohran Mamdani’s campaign is thus not about tactics but about spirit. Politics grounded in empathy, values, authenticity, consistency, and conviction can still inspire, even in times of deep disillusionment.
By Devyani Kacker
Zohran Mamdani, son of well-known film maker Mira Nair, and a Columbia university professor Mahmood Mamdani, is in many ways an unlikely political figure. Typically, children of well-placed immigrant parents in America gravitate toward safer, more conventional careers. However, much to everyone’s surprise, Mamdani ran an electrifying, authentic, grassroots campaign that culminated in a stunning mayoral victory.
While the Mamdani story is very much a New York one, it holds resonance for India as well. Rahul Gandhi, another charismatic politician, also offers hope. Like Zohran Mamdani, Rahul Gandhi too has the ability to capture something rare: a yearning for politics that listens rather than lectures, a politics that connects with people, and a politics that gives hope.
However, unfortunately, this is where the similarities tend to diminish. Rahul Gandhi, despite his charisma, is still searching for a way to convert his message into a sustained political movement. Admittedly, he is also operating in a far larger, more complex, and fragmented democracy. In contrast, Mamdani has had a significant advantage, he works with a highly organized constituency and a largely progressive voter base. And yet, there are lessons in Mamdani’s win that transcend geography as they’re about values and movements.
India, like New York, is also ready for this kind of politics. And Zohran’s victory seeped in authenticity can spark something similar. And perhaps some lessons from the Mamdani story may be particularly relevant for Rahul Gandhi, and by extension, a younger generation of Indian politicians, as they imagine a new kind of politics back home.
Stick to the Basics
One of Mamdani’s greatest strengths was the clarity of his message. He offered a clear agenda that appealed to a large base. He did not attempt to speak about everything or please everyone. His campaign centered on affordability- food prices, rent, transport, and childcare- areas that affect almost every New Yorker. These are not simplistic themes; they are complex, systemic challenges, but also deeply relatable because they speak to the everyday realities of people’s lives. While it’s important to champion broader ideas of justice and democracy, these can feel more abstract. And that is why it matters that politicians speak the language of their constituents. Any experienced community worker will tell you that before people can dream about justice, they first need access to healthcare, food, and education.
And Mamdani remained remarkably focused. Each appearance, rally, and social media post reinforced these priorities. The temptation to speak on every issue and appeal to everybody can be real, but a solid message that the government should work for everyone is simple, clear, and relatable. And movements, after all, thrive on clarity.
A Great Social Media Campaign
Mamdani’s campaign had an excellent social media strategy- sharp visuals, creative storytelling, and a clear consistent message that led to many viral videos. There was a sense of fun and humor too. Plus, his online persona matched his in-person authenticity. In fact, much of Mamdani’s media exposure initially came off social media. More significantly, in the age of AI generated videos, Mamdani’s campaign showed that social media works best when it’s not just slick marketing but about connecting. Each post was heartfelt and pointed people to action: volunteering, showing up, organizing, donating, participating. It felt real, and people responded to it. The result was that they built a movement that resonated not just across the five boroughs but across the globe.
From Campaign to Movement
What truly set the Mamdani campaign apart was that it didn’t feel like a campaign. His efforts went beyond electoral politics, offering an alternative in which young people could engage not just as by standers or consumers but as doers and co-creators. They were campaigners, designers, data analysts, and community hosts. The campaign amassed a staggering 100,000 plus volunteers and knocked on over three million doors. These are not mere statistics, they are statements of intent. Mamdani and his volunteers went house to house, block by block, borough by borough, building personal relationships with voters. That participatory ethos made people feel ownership over the outcome. The campaign became a movement because it invited collaboration rather than command.
India also has a youth constituency that is intelligent, passionate and yearning to be engaged. Rather than seeing them as foot soldiers, we should reach out to them as partners, empower them, and allow them to shape the movement’s language and local strategies. The Congress party, in particular, can draw from this- revival will come from building distributed leadership, thousands of small centers of energy that reflect the diversity of India.
Consistency and Momentum
If there was one thing that the Mamdani campaign excelled at, it was momentum. He and his team were relentlessly committed. Every day was busy – neighborhood meetings, phone banking, door-to-door canvassing, town halls, community kiosks. At one point, supporters even took to boats, carrying placards and canvassing along the waterfront. There were no long pauses or lulls; Mamdani’s presence was constant, and so was his visibility. That kind of persistence builds not just recognition but also trust.
Authentic and value-based politics
Last, and perhaps most importantly, Mamdani’s campaign stood out because it was authentic, honest and values-driven. He remains unapologetically rooted in his identity, as a Muslim and an immigrant of Indian and Ugandan descent. The simple act of eating with his hands spoke volumes about culture and authenticity. The choice of the song “Dhoom Machale” at the victory speech beautifully captured that same sense of belonging and pride that defined the campaign from the beginning to the end.
He didn’t dodge difficult topics either, even those that carried political risk. His moral clarity deeply resonated with the young people weary of word salads and calculated ambiguity. At a time, when most leaders in comfortable positions of power chose silence, his stance on Gaza felt especially courageous. It was refreshing and empowering to hear a young, passionate, and thoughtful man, with an election on the line, speak plainly about right and wrong instead of shielding or deflecting.
Beyond Tactics
Mamdani’s victory serves as a reminder that politics, like sports, is at its best, when it is not about power but about collective action. It’s about giving people a sense that their voice matters and that change is possible. The real lesson from Zohran Mamdani’s campaign is thus not about tactics but about spirit. Politics grounded in empathy, values, authenticity, consistency, and conviction can still inspire, even in times of deep disillusionment.
Rahul Gandhi does not need to emulate Mamdani, he already carries an enviable legacy and a growing resonance among younger Indians. But he, and by extension other politicians in India, do need to build something similar: a mass, values-driven authentic movement that speaks to ordinary people and invites them to be part of shaping the political future. A movement that is not built on fear or hate by chat bots but by people, one conversation, one doorstep, one act of courage at a time.
Devyani Kacker is a human rights lawyer based in New York, focussed on justice reform and strengthening civic space globally.
Image generated by ChatGPT
