The move is being seen as a fallout of differences between Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi and Bhandari. Negi has openly opposed Bhandari's appointment as district Congress president. He has repeatedly accused Bhandari of being a "sleeper cell" of the BJP and said his appointment had demoralised genuine party workers.

"There have been some issues with the district and block committees. These will be resolved and the committees will be reconstituted shortly," said HPCC president Vinay Kumar. Asked whether the committees were dissolved because of differences between the Minister and the district president, Kumar said the new committees would be constituted to the satisfaction of both leaders.

In Kinnaur, the block committees were constituted before the district committee, contrary to the usual practice of forming block committees after the district committee. Sources said Bhandari was unhappy with the formation of the block committees as they were constituted without his involvement.

The Negi faction, meanwhile, was reportedly unhappy with the composition of the district committee. "Bhandari had chosen several people for the district committee, most of whom had never worked for the party," said a source from the Negi faction.

The Bhandari faction, on the other hand, alleges that the block committees were formed solely at the Minister's behest.

Meanwhile, Bhandari welcomed the dissolution of the committees, saying it would be better if workers from both sides were accommodated.

"We will follow the instructions of the party high command and HPCC and work for the betterment of the party," he said.

The continuing differences between the two leaders in Kinnaur do not augur well for the Congress, particularly with the Assembly elections approaching.