The conservative leader of Ontario's opposition party resigned early Thursday amid allegations of sexual misconduct just months before an election in Canada's most populous province.

Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown said in a statement that he made the decision after consulting with caucus, friends and family. The allegations involve teenage girls.

The move comes after almost his entire campaign team including his chief of staff and press secretary quit late Wednesday in protest after he earlier declined to quit. CTV News reported two women have come forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Brown that date back to when he was a federal lawmaker.

The report said one of the unnamed women, now 29, said she was still in high school when Brown allegedly asked her to perform oral sex on him. The other unnamed woman said she was a university student working in Brown's office when he sexually assaulted her at his home in 2013.

Brown called a hastily arranged late-night news conference just minutes before the CTV report aired. An emotional Brown vowed to fight. He called the allegations troubling but false and suggested he would sue.

"I know that the court of public opinion moves fast," Brown said. "I've instructed my attorneys to ensure that these allegations are where they should be, in a court of law. In short I reject these accusations in the strongest possible terms. It's not my values. It's now how I was raised. It's not who I am."

He did not take any questions. The press then chased Brown as he fled the provincial legislature and jumped into a waiting van.

Moments later his campaign manager, chief of staff and deputy campaign manager issued a joint statement announcing they were stepping down.

"Earlier today, all three of became aware of allegations about Patrick Brown. After speaking with him, our advice was that he should resign as PC party leader. He did not accept that advice. Since our view is that this advice was in the best interest of the PC party, we have therefore resigned," the statement said.

In his later resignation statement, Brown said he would stay on as a member of the legislature while he "definitively" clears his name.

Many political analysts had expected Brown to become the next premier of Ontario after years of rule by the Liberal party. The election is a little more than four months away.

Ontario Premier and Liberal leader Kathleen Wynne praised the women who made the allegations but did not comment on Brown directly.

Ontario Progressive Conservative Deputy leaders Sylvia Jones and Steve Clark said in a statement that Brown could not continue.

"Mr. Brown is entitled to a legal defense and due process, but he cannot lead us into an election as a result of these allegations," the statement said.

The scandal is another #MeToo moment. The movement has been credited with unveiling widespread sexual abuse and misconduct across the globe.