New Delhi: From a horned, leathery-winged devil perched atop the Statue of Liberty as New York City goes up in fire and smoke, to the friendly neighbourhood Spiderman who will save the world. Move over Helen of Troy, NYC’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is the face that launched a thousand—memes.
His moment in the sun has landed him in the top ten trending on X worldwide. But Mamdani’s win has divided the internet, he has admirers and haters in equal measure.
Zohran Mamdani looking at the New York City pic.twitter.com/9tBQYKdRtW
— Lord Immy Kant (@KantInEastt) November 5, 2025
A vote for Zohran Mamdani is a vote for the devil. pic.twitter.com/BnYAnPrNXC
— Gizmo Memes (@Gizmo_Memes) October 24, 2025
His unusual campaign style made him an instant internet sensation. From his retro-inspired campaign posters to his use of Bollywood and TikTok trends, the internet could not get enough of the 34-year-old.
And where the internet goes, the trolls follow.
For example, an X user posted, “New York City before the Islamic Revolution of 2025”, referring to Mamdani’s Islamic heritage.
New York City before the Islamic Revolution of 2025 pic.twitter.com/TOxEHZqsLR
— kev joon (@never_oppressed) November 5, 2025
Another user compared him to Osama bin Laden:
A vote for Zohran Mamdani is a vote for Osama Bin Laden pic.twitter.com/yv9AkRLZ9g
— Evan Mahoney (@EvanMahoney_) October 26, 2025
Osama bin Laden will be cackling in the fires of hell if New York City ever installs full-blown communist Zohran Mamdani as mayor. pic.twitter.com/KtUnS6tGGC
— Mark UltraMaga 1A 2A (@MarkUltramaga) October 29, 2025
A X-based meme page captioned a photo of Mamdani imagined as the offspring of Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and US Senator Bernie Sanders.
If AOC and Bernie Sanders had a baby, it would be Zohran Mamdani. pic.twitter.com/T1JNYzk51M
— Planet Of Memes (@PlanetOfMemes) October 11, 2025
Jonathan Choe, a Seattle-based journalist, posted a meme depicting Lady Liberty clad in a burqa.
View this post on Instagram
And it’s not just memes. The New York Post shared the cover for its next issue titled ‘On your Marx, get set, Zo!’ along with a picture of Mamdani wielding a sickle and a hammer, a symbol of communism and socialism.
Tomorrow’s cover: Zohran Mamdani wins 2025 NYC mayoral election https://t.co/HwAuNmCFtL pic.twitter.com/nshFKpcvLE
— New York Post (@nypost) November 5, 2025
Several users have also hailed Mamdani as a symbol of hope for the Democrats and liberals in the US.
View this post on Instagram
New York is home to the world’s largest Jewish community outside of Israel, and though the Democratic socialist has vowed to “not waiver” in his fight against antisemitism in the city, Jewish leaders have had mixed reactions to him. There is even an Instagram page, Mensches for Mamdani, “a user-friendly guide” about the pro-Palestinian politician. It features several opinions by Jews who chose to vote for Mamdani and also explains his stance towards the Jewish community. US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that any Jewish person who votes for Zohran Mamdani is a “stupid person”.
Even Indians across the globe are invested in Mamdani’s success, with one X user posting a video of Ajay Devgn crying. Whether it is for Mamdani’s success or regarding the conditions in Bihar is subject to viewer discretion.
Zohran Mamdani has become the mayor of New York.
Ramesh from Bihar:
#ZohranMamdani #RahulGandhi #Election2025 pic.twitter.com/3k4qvx80tP
— lunawhispers (@lunawhisphers14) November 5, 2025
But it wasn’t all political. Some internet users are simply interested in the young politician with several accounts dedicated to him. While others are amused by his days as Mr Cardamon, the rapper.
One Instagram user even lamented their inability to vote for him, despite living on a different continent.
View this post on Instagram
The Democratic Party candidate and self-proclaimed socialist won the mayoral race by a landslide, defeating fellow Democrat Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
The off-year election was keenly watched around the US and the world, as apprehensions about Trump’s leadership increased. Mamdani stood out as a stark contrast to all things MAGA (Make America Great Again).
Mamdani was born in Uganda to parents of Indian-origin. He is the first Muslim and South Asian descent mayor of the city.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
Also Read: Zohran Mamdani and that Dhoom Machale song climaxes are made of