The Karnataka Cabinet on Monday decided to recommend to the governor to dissolve the state assembly.

Announcing the decision, Chief Minister S M Krishna said he would send the letter to Governor T N Chaturvedi conveying the decision and recommending the dissolution of the assembly on February 23.

"The primary reason for the decision to curtail the term of the assembly is our confidence to return to power in the
elections," Krishna told reporters.

To a question, he, however, admitted that the need for early assembly elections would not have arisen had the Lok
Sabha elections taken place as scheduled.