Socialist Zohran Mamdani under fire over mother’s $2 mn house, labelled ‘nepo baby’

Critics of Democratic socialist New York City mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani are pointing to his elite education background and family wealth worth millions as the race heats up. Mamdani has come under intense scrutiny from Republicans and conservative thinkers, who say Mamdani might be too privileged to champion the cause of socialism.

Zohran Mamdani’s family’s wealth

Republican extremist Laura Loomer as well as MAGA activist Meghan McCain have labelled Mamdani a “nepo baby”, arguing that his parents’ net worth ranges between $2 million and $10 million.

Meanwhile, the New York Post has thrown light on Mamdani’s family background. Both of his parents have Indian roots, with his mother, Mira Nair, being an award-winning Indian-American filmmaker; and his father being a renowned author and a professor at Columbia University.

Controversial policies

Mamdani is pushing bold ideas to tackle economic inequality, like a steep tax on the ultra-wealthy, aiming to shake up the city’s status quo.

If elected, he’d make history as New York City’s first Muslim mayor, with roots tracing back to India.

But not everyone’s sold on his message. Critics point to his privileged background as a disconnect from the working-class image he projects.

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His mother—known for hits like Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake—owned a swanky Manhattan loft in West Chelsea from 2008 to 2019. Bought for $1.375 million and sold for $1.45 million, the place, with its 12-foot ceilings, designer kitchen, and spa-like bathroom, is now worth about $1.9 million, per Redfin.

Then there’s the 4-acre plot in Uganda, valued at $150,000-$250,000, which Mamdani picked up in 2012, according to his 2024 ethics disclosure.

For some, this wealth clashes with his socialist calls for redistributing riches.

They argue his elite education and high-profile family—steeped in cultural clout—make it hard for him to relate to the everyday struggles he is trying to champion.

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His big ideas, like fare-free buses and city-run grocery stores, also catch flak from moderates and conservatives who call them pie-in-the-sky plans, more about wooing progressive voters than solving real problems.