Hyderabad: Dealing a blow to Congress ahead of elections, senior party leader and former Union Minister P Shivshankar today (Mar 30, 2004) resigned from the party accusing it of failing to protect the interests of weaker sections and raked up foreign origin of the party President Sonia Gandhi.

However, Shivshankar, a close associate of the Nehru-Gandhi family, ruled out joining TDP (Telugu Desam Party), saying, "I am a Congressman till my last breath".