UPDATE MAOIST FIRST OPTION TO SUPPORT BHATTARAI GOVT. Kathmandu, 26 Nov. A meeting of Maoist office bearers Tuesday decided to support Baburam Bhattarai as a consensus candidate for prime minister on a national government. The party leading the government decided to keep other options including pushing candidace of another person from the party. Chairman Prachanda suggested the name of Deputy Prime Minister Narayan Kazi Shrestha who is a party vice-chairman. The party leading the government also kept an option to support a candidate from the ruling coalition, possibly Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of Madesh Morha Bijaya Kumar Gachedhar. A presidential deadline to submit consensus candidate ends in another two days Thursday. The party decided to keep options to meet the presidential deadline. nnnn. MAN SHOT, INJURED IN SIRAHA Kathmandu, 27 Nov.: A man was shot and injured Tuesday at Marchiya, Siraha, during a drinking bout. He has been rushed to Dharan for treatment. Badri Yadav fired a pistol, radio reports said. Nnnn FOUNDATION STONE FOR A MEMORIAL FOR 60,000 EX-GURKHAS KILLED, FIGHTING FOR BRITAIN LAID IN SYANGJHA Kathmandu, 27 Nov.: Foundation stone of a Rs.5 billion memorial for 60,000 Gurkha soldiers killed or missing while fighting with the British Army was IN World War I and II was laid in Syangjha Tuesday. An umbrella organization for former Gurkhas said Great Britain never conducted their last rites which was performed this month. Ex-Gurkhas will contribute Rs 500 million for the memorial construction atop a hill in the western district. nnnn