Career
He was the BJP candidate for elections to the 14th Lok Sabha representing Mumbai North, but lost to famous Bollywood actor Govinda, a Incorporated candidate from Virar. A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteer since childhood, he holds a law degree. He started his political career with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1964 and was involved in organizing a group of rail commuters in Mumbai.
He represented Borivli in the state assembly in 1978 and was re-elected twice, before becoming Minister of State for Railways in 1998, when he was influential in forming the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation.
Ram Naik announced in September 2013 that he will not contest the 2014 Lok Sabha Polls. On 14 July 2014 he was named as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh.
Within a few months of his being appointed as governor, he stated that "The Ram Temple should be built as soon as possible, this is what the people of this country want and their wishes should be fulfilled." The theme was immediately backed up by Hindutva groups. Subsequently, his Hindutva remarks seems to have been reined in by Narendra Modi.
He was born in Atpadi, in Sangli district of Maharashtra state.
1969-1977 - Organising Secretary, Bharatiya January Sangh, Mumbai
1977-1978 - General Secretary, Janata Party, Mumbai
1978-1989 - Member, Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra (3 terms)
1979-1980 - President, Janata Party, Mumbai
1980-1986 - President, BJP, Mumbai
1986-1989 - Vice President, BJP, Maharashtra
1989 - Elected to 9th Lok Sabha
1991 - Elected to 10th Lok Sabha
1999 - Elected to 13th Lok Sabha
1999-2004 - Union Cabinet Minister, Petroleum and Natural Gas
since 2004 - President, All India Disciplinary Committee of BJP
2014- Governor of Uttar Pradesh.