Shashi Tharoor Praises Nithya Raman's US Mayoral Win, Swipes At Indian Mayors

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor congratulated Kerala-born Nithya Raman on her election as the mayor of Los Angeles while using her victory to criticise the limited authority given to mayors in cities in India.

He also referred to Zohran Mamdani in New York, saying America's two biggest cities would be led by people of Indian-origin.

"A daughter of Thiruvananthapuram, Nithya Raman, is the new Mayor of Los Angeles," Tharoor wrote on X.

"I'm sure they will do a far better job than their counterparts back in India, who are reduced to powerlessness by a British-era system that disperses authority and budgets, leaving Mayors here without any real means to govern their cities effectively," Tharoor said.

A daughter of Thiruvananthapuram, @nithyavraman, is the new Mayor of Los Angeles! And with @ZohranKMamdani in New York, America's two biggest cities will be run by people of Indian origin! I'm sure they will do a far better job than their counterparts back in India, who are reduced to powerlessness by a British-era system that disperses authority and budgets, leaving Mayors here without any real means to govern their cities effectively...

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 5, 2026

In most cities in India, the mayor is the political and ceremonial head of the municipal corporation but not its main executive authority. The municipal commissioner who is often a senior bureaucrat appointed by the state government controls daily administration and substantial parts of the civic budget.

Born in India, Raman moved to the US with her family when she was six. She studied at Harvard University and later obtained a master's degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Before entering electoral politics, she worked on homelessness and co-founded the SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition.

Raman was first elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2020, becoming its first South Asian member and the first Asian-American woman to serve on the body. She won another term in 2024 before contesting the mayoral election.

Now, in another first, the Indian-origin leader defeated Karen Bass to become the first Indian-American and first South Asian elected to lead the city.

"Los Angeles, I am deeply honoured to be your next mayor," Raman wrote on X on Thursday.

The latest Los Angeles County election update showed she got 52.70 per cent of the ballots counted and Bass got 47.30 per cent.

Bass conceded the election and said she had spoken to Raman. "I've called Councilmember Raman to congratulate her, and I'm committed to a smooth transition," she wrote on X.

In her response, Raman said she had thanked the outgoing mayor for her leadership and years of public service. Raman's campaign centred on housing affordability, homelessness and the delivery of municipal services apart from promises to improve street lighting and repair potholes.