Hattrick again? Naik launches Ram rath yatra

After five successive terms at the Assembly and Lok Sabha put together from North Mumbai, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minster Ram Naik aimed for a sixth straight term as he launched the ‘‘Ram rath yatra’’ here today.

During the yatra, spread over 23 days, Naik, popular as the leader of the grassroots, will interact with 23 lakh voters in the constituency.

‘‘I am keen to meet the people and this could only be possible by going out on the roads and touring the place extensively,’’ Naik said. Seated in his four-wheel ‘‘Ram rath’’, Naik would cover all the areas of his constituency.

A board carrying pictures of PM Vajpayee, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and Naik would be installed on the rath, he said.