The national gathering of the ruling CPN (Maoist Centre), set to be held in the last week of October, has been postponed citing a busy schedule of party Chairman and Prime Minister Puspha Kamal Dahal.

A meeting of the party secretariat on Friday decided to postpone the gathering till November 17.

The gathering of the general convention organising committee has not been held ever since five Maoist parties merged to form the CPN (Maoist Centre) in May.

A session of the 2,500-member committee would take several decisions including the date for a general convention. A two-day gathering was scheduled to start in Kathmandu on October 26.

The party said in a statement that the gathering was postponed as PM Dahal remains busy for talks with the agitating Madhesi and Tharu parties.

The dissident parties which supported Dahal in the prime ministerial election have been demanding registration of a constitution amendment bill in Parliament to address their concerns including the revision to the provincial boundaries.

However, around three months since the formation of the new government, no concrete step has been taken towards addressing the concerns of its allies which include a dozen fringe forces.

In the meeting, PM Dahal also briefed the party leaders on his Goa visit for sideline meetings at the BRICS conference.