Kolkata: The north-eastern state of Assam could be in for a mid-term election, as 20 legislators of the Congress party have threatened to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) due to on-going dissidence with chief minister Tarun Gogoi.

Speaking to Gulf News, Jadab Chandra Deka, leader of the BJP’s legislative party in the Assembly said, “There are reports that a section of Congress legislators are in touch with our national leadership [and are] eager to join. Riddled by factionalism, they [Congress MLAs] have lost faith in the leadership of Tarun Gogoi as they are extremely unhappy with the performance of their government.”

“We will move a no-confidence motion against the Congress government during the budget session of the state assembly next March. Then there will be President’s Rule. By October, we will have mid-term polls. We have asked our cadres and key party functionaries to start preparations,” Deka added. Assam assembly polls are due only in 2016 in the normal course.

The leadership of Gogoi has been challenged ever since the general elections, where the party managed to win just three of the fourteen parliamentary seats, and rebel legislators have been demanding his removal.

In July, 31 party legislators led by the then state education and health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met Governor Janaki Ballabh Patnaik to express no-confidence in Gogoi’s leadership. These rebel Congress legislators are already playing the role of a “constructive opposition” in the assembly. If 20 more Congress law makers shift to the BJP, the state government will be in a crisis immediately.

Congress legislators are now openly venting their anger not only against Gogoi, but also the central leadership, whose indecision has hurt the party ever since. Congress MLA Sumitra Patir went on record saying that they have not been able to meet the expectations of the electorates in the regime of their own Congress rule. “The electorates of my constituency have voted for the party for three consecutive terms but their hopes and aspirations have not been fulfilled. We have not been given support by our government that was required to serve the people,” Patir said.

“Several Congress leaders who sided with Gogoi during his struggle with Sarma are now frustrated as central leadership has not cleared the Cabinet reshuffle. Gogoi has submitted the list of probable names last month,” said a senior functionary of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee. “There is a move by some leaders to join BJP. The party is suffering from indecision and delays,” he added.

The fear within the Congress camp is that Sarma commands immense popularity among the young brigade of Congress legislators. The leader is equally popular in the Congress student arm. Coupled with the Modi wave and Sarma’s possible exit, Congress could lose another stronghold very soon.

However, the move towards BJP will not be easy for the rebel Congress legislators, as BJP national executive committee member Prodyut Bora has opposed the entry of Sarma in their camp.

“There is equal dissidence in our camp as to who should be allowed to join. Already old timers are feeling pressurised as they fear people like Sarma may sideline them. Also an interim election may not help the party, as in many areas we still do not have much presence,” said a BJP state functionary unwilling to be named.