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He did it — Zohran Mamdani has been elected mayor of New York City, making him the first Muslim and person of South Asian descent to hold the post. His platform of affordability and multiculturalism proved widely popular in one of the world’s most expensive and metropolitan cities, earning him just over half of the over two million votes cast. After a campaign run extensively on social media with an aesthetic that can only be described as “peak millennial,” Mamdani chose to announce his win with a 10-second clip from New York’s iconic subway system, saying, “Next stop, City Hall.”

The internet erupted in celebration, with supporters cheering on the historic win. Voters echoed the candidate’s message of “hope” and said it was a good day to be a New Yorker.

Everywhere else in the world, netizens were either happy for the people of New York or jealous of them. People across the world wanted Mamdani as their mayor — it’s one of the few things X users from India and Pakistan could agree on.

Pakistani celebrities were not far behind when it came to congratulating the mayor-elect. Singer Ali Sethi, who lives in New York and is friends with Mamdani, voted for him too!

Host Shaista Lodhi said Mamdani has shown “that real change happens when you meet people where they are, speak their language and fight for their dignity”.

Even Meera congratulated the mayor-elect (and his mother!) on the win.

Being a desi boy — and the son of Oscar-nominated filmmaker Mira Nair — Mamdani added a little bit of Bollywood masala to his victory speech by playing the title track of the 2004 thriller Dhoom as he called his family onstage at the end.

Journalist Mehdi Hasan called it a win against racism, but some of us had other things to worry about — like aunties raising the bar when dismissing us at weddings.

Speaking of racism — and by extension, Islamophobia — Mamdani was on the receiving end of a lot of hate throughout his campaign. From being called a “jew-hater“ by the US president to being mocked for eating with his hands, he faced vile abuse, leading to netizens hailing his win as a watershed moment for Muslims in the United States.

It’s too early to say just how much of his ambitious agenda Mamdani will be able to fulfil, especially as he faces an uphill battle when it comes to opposition from more affluent quarters in the US and from President Donald Trump, who openly backed his rival, Andrew Cuomo, for mayor. For now, New York and the rest of the world is watching a new leaf in US politics — one filled with hope that inclusivity and social justice do have a place in politics.