Washington, Nov. 6 -- Just one year ago, Zohran Mamdani was a little-known assemblyman in New York best known for his work delivering debt relief to the city's taxi drivers. In just over 12 months, Mamdani has transformed into a progressive political icon with a national profile envied by his contemporaries in US politics. Mamdani's improbable rise owes much to a circle of key advisers and political allies, many of whom share a background in progressive, left-wing politics. Of them, Mamdani's senior adviser Elle Bisgaard-Church is widely regarded as the most influential. Like Mamdani, Bisgaard-Church is just 34 years old and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. She managed Mamdani's successful primary campaign against former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, who was initially heavily favoured to win the race. Bisgaard-Church is also credited with keeping the campaign laser-focused on affordability and quality of life issues, like freezing rent and ensuring free buses for New Yorkers. After Mamdani clinched the Democratic nomination, she subsequently moved to a new role as senior adviser, laying the policy groundwork for Mamdani to take over as mayor. She is widely expected to be one of Mamdani's closest advisers as he takes office. Maya Handa, another progressive operative, took over from Bisgaard-Church as Mamdani's campaign manager. Political strategist Morris Katz, 26, helped raise Mamdani's political profile and sharpened his widely praised communications strategy. Creative director Andrew Epstein has been credited as the force behind Mamdani's viral social media success. Videos of Mamdani walking the streets of New York, jumping into freezing water, engaging with voters and referencing Bollywood movies created a warm, authentic and likeable persona. Even Mamdani's sceptics have acknowledged that his social media campaign has been one of the most slick and successful in recent memory....