Murder accused legislator Amanmani Tripathi shared stage with Yogi Adityanath at an event in Gorakhpur.

A legislator accused of killing his wife shared the stage with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at an event in Gorakhpur yesterday, leaving many BJP workers surprised.Amanmani Tripathi, an independent legislator from Nautanwa, was sitting a few seats away from Yogi Adityanath at the function. He even sought Mr Adityanath's blessings by touching his feet.The 35-year-old legislator is facing charges of murdering his wife Sara.He also handed over few papers to the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during his brief interaction.Senior BJP MLA from Campiyarganj Fateh Bahadur Singh, who was overseeing preparations of the programme, said that he came to know later that Mr Tripathi had touched the feet of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.Mr Tripathi's presence at stage along with Mr Adityanath came as a surprise to even BJP workers at the event. Yogi Adityanath has repeatedly said that law and order is his top priority.The party however chose to downplay the incident. "Any public representative can greet the Chief Minister and touch his feet. There is nothing wrong in it," said BJP's Gorakhpur unit spokesperson Satyendra Sinha.

Mr Amanmani's father Amarmani Tripathi, has been elected legislator from Nautanwa four times and was a minister in the SP government headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav.Amarmani Tripathi is currently serving a life sentence in the Madhumita Shukla murder case.