Bengaluru(PTI): The ruling BJP is confident of returning to power in Karnataka with absolute majority, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Wednesday.

The Election Commission announced today that the polls to the 224-member Assembly would be held on May 10.

Bommai, who was speaking to reporters, said he had toured almost all the constituencies in the State in the last three-and-half months. "I am fully confident that we will get an absolute and clear majority and the BJP government will come (back) to power in 2023," he said.

Speaking about how the party was connecting with the public, the Chief Minister said the BJP had used various means to reach out to the people, including digital technology and campaigning by top party leaders.

To a question about the likely candidates for the election, Bommai said that in the BJP the process of releasing the list of candidates would start after election dates are announced.

"Already we have the survey reports (on winnable candidates). Along with that, we will collect the opinion of the people and the party workers at the district level and taluk level, which will be consolidated at the state level. It will be sent to the parliamentary board for approval," he explained.

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Palakkad (Kerala) (PTI): Five people have been arrested for allegedly beating to death a Jharkhand native on suspicion of theft near Walayar here a day ago, police said on Friday.

The arrests were formally recorded late Thursday night and all the accused have been booked for the offence of murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, an officer of Walayar police station said.

The deceased -- Ramnarayan Bhayar (31) -- was working as a labourer in the Walayar area.

According to police, Bhayar was attacked by a group of men on Wednesday evening, alleging that he was involved in a theft at Kizhakeattappallam near Walayar.

As per the FIR, the incident occurred before 7.40 pm, and the injured Bhayar was rushed to the Palakkad District Government Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Police said a detailed investigation was underway to ascertain the sequence of events leading to the incident.