Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday said he would hold early elections if hard-liners in his party continued to resist an unpopular new bailout deal that promised debt relief.

"If we do not have a parliamentary majority I will be forced, we will be forced to hold elections," Tsipras said in a two-hour interview with Sto Kokkino radio.

He added that under the terms of the EU-IMF agreement signed on July 12, after November Greece could expect a reduction of its huge public debt in addition to up to 86 billion euros ($95 billion) in funds, following an assessment of reforms.

Tsipras faces resistance from a sizeable faction of his Syriza party that rejects the new bailout as contrary to the government's anti-austerity promises.

In response, the 41-year-old premier has called for an emergency party congress to confirm the government's strategy, adding that this would "to a great extent" determine whether early elections will have to be held to take the country forward.

"I would be the last person to want elections if I had a guaranteed parliamentary majority on a plan to complete (my) four-year term ... That includes completing the (rescue) program," he said.

Earlier this month, Tsipras saw more than 30 of his 149 lawmakers mutiny in two separate votes in parliament to approve tax hikes, a pension overhaul and administrative reforms tied to the bailout, effectively rendering his coalition a minority government.

On Wednesday he said he faced "surreal" ­behavior from some of his party ­cadres who claimed to ­support the govern­ment while ­voting against the measures to ­preserve their "­ideological ­purity."

A possible demand by hard-liners for a party decision ­before the bailout agreement is  ratified by parliament was tantamount to "making the bomb explode in (my) hands," he said.