Won't allow any Khan to become Mumbai mayor: BJP leader
The stunning mayoral victory of Zohran Mamdani, 34 – the first South Asian, Muslim, and youngest mayor in a century to lead New York City – has ignited a political storm thousands of miles away in Mumbai, where civic elections are due soon.
Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam, who is also the MLA from Andheri West, took to social media to warn against what he called the spread of “vote jihad” in Mumbai’s politics.
“We will not allow any Khan to become mayor,” Satam wrote, suggesting that a campaign similar to that seen in New York City is being attempted in Mumbai.
When pressed by reporters to clarify his remarks, Satam said,
“Some people are adopting the path of appeasement to maintain political power. It is necessary to protect Mumbai from such forces that have previously tried to divide society.”
He added that while he supports religious harmony, the BJP would oppose anyone “trying to divide society through anti-national politics.”
Mamdani — son of Indian filmmaker Mira Nair and noted scholar Mahmood Mamdani — made history by defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. His victory marks a resurgence of progressive politics focused on working-class issues such as free childcare, rent freezes, and free bus services.
However, Mamdani’s rise has also drawn criticism from conservative and right-wing circles in the United States — and now, seemingly, in India — over immigration, identity, and cultural representation.
In Mumbai, the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election — controlling India’s richest civic body — is shaping up to echo this local-versus-outsider narrative. Parties like the MNS and Shiv Sena have long relied on this rhetoric, and Satam’s recent comments suggest the BJP may be preparing to adopt a similar strategy.
“We will always stand for the development and unity of Mumbai,” Satam said. “Every citizen should proudly say Vande Mataram. Any attempt to alter the social or cultural identity of this city will not be tolerated.”
Analysts say Satam’s remarks underscore how Mamdani’s symbolic victory in the US has reverberated into India’s own culture-war politics, with global identity debates increasingly influencing local elections.
Source: NDTV