Washington DC [US] July 15 (ANI): As the tussle between Democrat mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and the Republican leaders intensifies, Ohio-based Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy also joins the chorus, using the issue to boost his campaign for Ohio Governor.

Following Mamdani's win in the Democratic primary last month, he has been at the receiving end of severe criticism for his socialist and liberal politics from Republican leaders, including US President Donald Trump, who had called him a 'lunatic'.

Ramaswamy, a staunch supporter of Trump, announced his candidacy to serve as the next Governor of Ohio after he pulled out as the co-head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Elon Musk earlier this year.

The election for the Governor of Ohio is scheduled to take place in 2026.

In a digital billboard paod by the Political Action Committee (PAC) of Ramaswamy, the Indian-origin bio-tech entrepreneur questioned if people are 'Ready to Flee NYC?' and invited them to 'Move to Ohio!' He further attacked Mamdani,the son of Indian filmmaker Mira Nair, calling him a 'radical socialist' while projecting himself as the protector of 'freedom'

According to the New York Post, the digital billboard was paid for by the PAC of Ramaswamy and shown in the iconic New York's Times Square.

Ramaswamy also took to X, reposting the ad while quoting, 'Capitalism defeats socialism. There's a better way: move to Ohio.'

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump took a jibe against Mamdani, labelling him a 'Communist Lunatic', vowing to prevent him from 'destroying' the city.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared that he holds all the 'levers' and 'cards' in order to prevent Mamdani 'destroy' New York.

'As President of the United States, I'm not going to let this Communist Lunatic destroy New York. Rest assured, I hold all the levers and have all the cards. I'll save New York City and make it 'Hot' and 'Great' again, just like I did with the Good Ol' USA!' he wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Trump also threatened to have Mamdani deported if he blocks Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in New York.

Mamdani also responded forcefully, stating, 'The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported. Not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorise our city,' as quoted by The Washington Post.

'His statements don't just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation,' the 33 year old Democrat added.

Mamdani officially won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor on July 1, after he crossed the majority following the tabulation of the city-ranked choice votes, as reported by CNN.

Earlier on June 24, during the elections, Mamdani hadn't won a majority through first-choice votes but was leading after the votes were tallied.

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo had conceded the Democratic mayoral primary to Mamdani after the first-choice votes were tallied.

Zohran Kwame Mamdani is a New York State Assembly member and democratic socialist, born in Uganda.

He is the first South Asian man to serve in the New York State Assembly, the first Ugandan, and the only third Muslim ever to be a member of the body. He was born to Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair and Indo-Ugandan professor Mahmood Mamdani. (ANI)