AAP tunes up in Goa, sign up Remo as member

Panaji, Dec 29: If singer, musician Kailash Kher lent his melody for Aam Aadmi Party's stunning march to power in New Delhi, in

, Remo could perhaps do the trick for India's most talked about political outfit in recent times.

Goa's most popular folk and pop singer Remo Fernandes has temporarily shed his guitar and will use AAP election symbol- the broom- to make music. Remo made the announcement via his Facebook page Saturday.

Wearing the customary white 'topi', Remo photographed himself with a receipt in his left hand and his right gripping the broom, which swept the party to power in the recent Delhi election.

"Yesterday was a historic day for me: for the very first time in my life, I joined a political party. Because, for the first time in my life, I believe in a political party. The AAM AADMI PARTY," Remo said on his wall Saturday, a post which clocked 1,000 likes and around 170 comments.

Goan by origin, Remo, who lives in the idyllic village of Siolim, 25 km from here, is best known for his several foot-tapping Bollywood numbers.

He is a cult-figure in Goa who first rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s by lending his music and songs to several popular movements which dealt with social issues like making Konkani Goa's official language.

By signing up as a member of the AAP, Remo now makes a debut in politics. But he is cautious enough to add a rider too.

"Before those of you who are politically ignorant (like me!) think this means I've 'joined politics and am standing for elections', let me clarify this only means that, like lakhs of people have done in Delhi, I have become a party worker/member by paying a Rs. 10 fee and acquiring a receipt," he said in his post, adding that his signing up for APP means that he agrees with the party's policies and ideologies and is "ready to work to implement them to the best of my ability".

The Election Commission of India (ECI) in 2012 had roped in Remo as an ambassador by then Chief Election Commissioner S.Y Quraishi to lure youngsters to come out and vote. Quraishi an avid guitarist himself had confessed that he had been a fan of Remo's music.

Remo now believes that conventional and mainstream political parties had short-changed the voters once in power and that it was time to switch gears.

"I've had enough of voting for different parties and different leaders and expecting change, but being short-changed each time. Like the saying goes, if I want change, I have to BE the change," the musician said.

IANS