On Sunday, Ashok Tanwar had protested outside Sonia Gandhi's home in Delhi (File)

Just weeks before the Haryana election, former state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar quit several party panels, saying in a letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi that he had taken the decision with "immense pain" and "after exhausting all avenues to get my voice heard".

Like Sanjay Nirupam, former Mumbai Congresss chief, he, too, stopped short of quitting the party while declaring that he would have no part in the campaign for the October 21 Haryana election.

On Sunday, Ashok Tanwar had protested outside Sonia Gandhi's home in Delhi alleging irregularities in the choice of poll candidates.

He wrote to Sonia Gandhi that he was resigning from various committees formed by her for the Haryana assembly elections but would continue to work to strengthen the party as its "ordinary soldier".

Last month, Mr Tanwar was replaced as Haryana Congress chief by Kumari Selja under pressure from former Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda, with whom he had a long-running feud.

Mr Tanwar alleged that the Congress in Haryana had turned into "Hooda Congress" as those "who had worked against the party's interests in the last five years had been given prominence over those who slogged to strengthen the opposition party in Haryana".

In the three-page letter, Mr Tanwar recalled his journey in the Congress, which, he said, began when he dedicated himself to the party at the age of 17.

Alleging "sabotage" by leaders without naming Mr Hooda, he wrote: "It is excruciating to see the same individuals taking all the decisions and instead of allowing just, free and fair selection of candidates...the individuals are selling tickets and subverting the great political legacy of the Congress..."

He said he had tried to raise the issues with his seniors in the party and found them to be "indifferent".

Mr Tanwar had yesterday told reporters that he did not rule out the possibility of his supporters contesting against Congress nominees, saying it would be their own call and he could not influence them.