In a rare show of cross-party alignment, Indian political leaders from both the Congress and BJP launched a scathing attack on New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of echoing anti-India sentiments that benefit Pakistan’s propaganda machinery.
Congress MP and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi didn’t hold back, taking to social media platform X on Thursday to accuse Mamdani of being a mouthpiece for India's adversaries.
“When Zohran Mamdani opens his mouth, Pakistan’s PR team takes the day off. India doesn’t need enemies with ‘allies’ like him shouting fiction from New York,” Singhvi wrote in a sharply worded post.
Joining the criticism was BJP MP and actress Kangana Ranaut, who questioned Mamdani’s political allegiance and national identity, suggesting that the Democratic Socialist candidate “sounds more Pakistani than Indian.”
“His mother is Mira Nair, one of our best filmmakers, Padma Shri, 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 obviously, the son is named Zohran—he sounds more Pakistani than Indian,” Ranaut commented.
The controversy erupted just as Zohran Mamdani—son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair—emerged as the frontrunner in the Democratic primary for New York City’s mayoral race, leading over former governor Andrew Cuomo in a dramatic upset that has sent shockwaves through American politics.
Though final results will be confirmed after July 1, Mamdani holds a significant lead in New York City’s ranked-choice voting system. If elected, he would face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams and a Republican challenger in a high-stakes general election.
Mamdani, 33, a Democratic Socialist and current New York State Assemblyman, has already been accused by Indian observers of being “too far to the left,” with critics pointing to his past comments and policy positions that appear sympathetic to narratives often used by Pakistan on global forums.
His rise comes at a time when the Democratic Party in the U.S. is reassessing its identity following its recent electoral losses, with Mamdani representing a new wave of progressive, activist-driven politics.
