India, Oct. 7 -- Roughly 74.2 million people across 243 constituencies in Bihar will vote in assembly polls across two phases on November 6 and 11, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Monday, marking the beginning of an electoral contest that will have strong ramifications on national politics.

Elections in India's third-most populous province are usually chaotic, steeped in caste calculations, and rested on a razor's edge five years ago - the difference between the two major coalitions was less than 12,000 votes - even as questions of aspiration, welfare and jobs figure high up in one of the country's poorest states.

The votes will be counted on November 14.

The elections will be a referendum not just on chief minister...