Lord Krishna (Nitish Bharadwaj) and Chanakya (Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi) have entered the battlefield — not of Kurukshetra, but of Mumbai’s historic Town Hall. The 30 stone steps, Doric columns, and teakwood floors of the 220-year-old landmark are set to witness a real-life clash this weekend as the Asiatic Society of Bombay, one of India’s oldest and most prestigious cultural and academic institutions, becomes the centre of a fierce political duel between the Congress and the BJP.

Seven independent candidates, describing themselves as non-aligned, objective, and reform-oriented, are also in the fray for key posts of vice-president and managing committee members. Founded in 1804, the society, housed in the grand Town Hall at Horniman Circle, has long been a beacon of scholarship, preserving rare manuscripts, maps, and artifacts that chronicle India’s colonial and cultural history. But now, it has turned into a political arena, with two heavyweight figures, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe (BJP) and Kumar Ketkar (Congress), vying for the top post of president.