While Zohran Mamdani made history on November 4 by becoming New York City’s first Muslim mayor-elect—and its youngest since 1917—many in India are questioning the leadership in their own major cities.

Metro cities like Bengaluru and Mumbai have been without elected mayors for years.

Bengaluru, known for its active citizen groups and online campaigns, has not held a municipal election in over five years. The last Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) polls took place in 2015, and the council’s term officially ended in September 2020. Since then, decision-making has largely fallen to Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar and state-appointed bureaucrats.

Similarly, Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)—India’s largest and wealthiest civic bo

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