We Have Seen This Movie Before:
Zohran Vs Kejriwal: The Illusion of Freebies in New York and New Delhi
New York City, the quintessential symbol of American ambition and capitalism, has recently elected a Democratic Socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, on a platform heavy with populist promises. Thousands of miles away in New Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Arvind Kejriwal, has long employed a similar strategy of "freebies" or welfare populism—offering free bus rides, water, and electricity to sections of the populace.
The distance between these two global cities is immense, spanning geography, economy, and political culture. Yet, a stark parallel emerges in the core strategy of their leaders: the seductive, yet fiscally perilous, appeal of policies designed to deliver immediate, visible, and seemingly costless relief to the struggling working class.
The Seduction of the "Free"
In New Delhi, Kejriwal’s signature policy included free bus rides for women and subsidies on water and electricity. The strategy was an electoral masterstroke, securing him consecutive victories by directly addressing the cost of living for the poorest. In New York, Mayor-elect Mamdani’s key pledges mirror this approach: fare-free city buses, a rent freeze for stabilized apartments, and city-run grocery stores to combat "Halal-flation" and high food prices.
For the struggling New Yorker or the poor Delhiite, these proposals offer tangible, immediate savings. They are the ultimate political balm, providing a feeling of direct benefit from the state.
The policies, while appearing to deliver welfare, often mask a deeper, more complex fiscal reality and distract from the structural reforms necessary for long-term progress.
The Echo of Empty Promises
This is where the movie plot twists—a twist that New Delhi residents have seen repeatedly. The generous promises of "freebies" often crash head-first into the cold wall of fiscal reality and bureaucratic constraints.
Funding the "Free": Kejriwal's schemes have faced constant criticism regarding their sustainability and the diversion of funds from long-term capital projects. Critics argue that while the 'free' is highly visible, the cost is deferred or invisibly borne by a weakened state exchequer, impacting crucial investments in infrastructure, healthcare, and public services that truly uplift society. Mamdani faces the same hurdle. His plan to fund free buses with a tax on the wealthy requires buy-in from the state government in Albany, an approval that is politically and legally challenging. Without it, the city's already strained budget must absorb hundreds of millions in lost MTA fare revenue.
Implementation Headwinds: Kejriwal's initial zeal for transforming public services often hit roadblocks—whether in the form of bureaucratic hurdles, inter-government tussles, or slow execution. In New York, Mamdani's ability to enact his boldest proposals is severely constrained. Control over the MTA, which runs the buses, rests largely with the state Governor, not the city Mayor. A rent freeze, while a powerful promise, is subject to the review of the Rent Guidelines Board, which must legally be guided by economic indicators. Political experts already caution that the probability of fare-free buses is "slim to none." A spectacular promise can easily become a spectacular failure when it requires a political coalition that doesn't exist.
The Distraction from Governance: The focus on "freebies" often shifts the political conversation away from the core issues of good governance: institutional reform, police accountability, reducing corruption, and efficient city planning. In Delhi, the cycle of populist relief has often overshadowed systemic improvements. The same risk looms in New York; the political capital spent fighting for the free bus can divert attention from the essential, less photogenic, but critical work of fixing the city's decaying infrastructure, navigating the migrant crisis, or tackling systemic poverty through education and job creation.
The Inevitable Sequel
The geographical distance between New York and New Delhi offers no immunity from the universal laws of economics and politics. Populist platforms that prioritize short-term, crowd-pleasing subsidies over sustainable long-term economic planning have a predictable arc.
The immediate appeal of "free" is a potent political fuel. But if the source of that fuel—sustainable funding and the necessary political authority—is unreliable, the inevitable consequence is policy stagnation, fiscal strain, and public disillusionment.
Mayor-elect Mamdani, like Arvind Kejriwal before him, has successfully harnessed the widespread anger over inequality and the soaring cost of living. The question is not whether New Yorkers are desperate for relief—they are. The real test is whether the populist fire that swept him to victory can be channeled into sustainable, institutionally sound policy, or if New York will, like Delhi, be forced to watch the inevitable sequel where the bold promises of the campaign trail fade into the empty rhetoric of a governing reality.
(By a Special Correspondent) New York
(AI helped with this article and image)