Kathmandu, Oct. 30 -- This essay was originally published as part of our weekly newsletter, Letter from Kathmandu. Sign up to receive this free newsletter in your inbox every Friday from The Kathmandu Post.

If you are constantly , as I am, the comparison isn't news to you. Having recently moved from New York to Nepal, I've had people from both directions send me threads putting Balendra Shah, the former mayor, and Zohran Mamdani, the current mayor, side by side. Those in Nepal tend to make a more general comparison, mostly about popularity. From New York, friends want to know whether Nepal has elected its own version of the man who runs their city.

It is an easy comparison to make. Both men are in their thirties, both are obsessed with ...