Mikhail Prokhorov dissolved the regional office in St. Petersburg, depriving 1334 people of membership in the party, taking advantage of Art. 16.3 of the party rules. According to this article, Prokhorov may unilaterally decide to expell any ordinary member of the party.

According to The Russian Mafia web-site (rumafia.com), since 1999, when several democratic parties merged in the Union of Right Forces, two groups in St. Petersburg office have been in conflict with each other. The conflict exacerbated in June when the office head was dismissed just before the Party Congress. The dismissed, Sergei Tsybukov, is the owner of plastics processing plants named after Komsomolskaya Pravda, and is known for his close relations with the first secretary of Leningrad Regional Committee of the Communist Party, Boris Gidaspov.

Tsybukov’s supporters appealed to federal political council for assistance in resolving the conflict. Prokhorov put an end to the conflict by expelling all St. Petersburg members of the party and began simplified recruiting of new ones. Part of those dismissed has already filled out the application for admission to the party. However, the press-service of the Right Cause claims that the party will admit only those who became party members after the party was headed by Prokhorov. According to the updated charter, he already approved 220 people (Tsybukov also filed an application).

On August 5 the office will hold a conference where the delegates will choose new leadership. According to rumours, Prokhorov recommended Yevgeny Mauter as head of the office.