Bharatiya Janata Party legislator from Mohammadabad Krishnanand Rai was on Tuesday shot dead by unidentified men at Baswania, 100 km from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

Six of his supporters were also killed in the incident that happened in a village 100 km from Varanasi while they were going to attend a marriage function in Mohammadabad.

Assailants riding on motorcycles near fired a hail of bullets at Rai's cavalcade, police said.

The area is quite remote with agricultural land around and the MLA and his supporters found themselves trapped once firing began.

The attack appeared to be pre-planned and was the result of a gang war, police said.

Rai, in his forties, leaves behind his wife and son.

Four companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary have been rushed to Ghazipur district and security tightened in Lucknow.

State Home Secretary Alok Sinha said the killing was a sequel to a gang war in eastern Uttar Pradesh, but did not specify which group could be behind the attack.

He said Rai's security guard was among those injured in the shoot-out that took place around 1500 IST.

Rai had a known rivalry with independent legislator from neighbouring Mau district Mukhtar Ansari and clashes between their supporters had been reported in the past.