Chennai, Aug 30: In a fresh twist to the DMK succession row, expelled party leader MK Alagiri has toned down his line of defiance, claiming that he is ready to accept the leadership of his younger brother MK Stalin, if readmitted to the party.

Speaking to reporters in Madurai, Alagiri said he does not intend to dislodge Stalin as the leader of DMK. "I am ready to accept the current leadership," he said, contradicting his statement on August 13, when he said that the only person whom he considers as his leader is late MK Karunanidhi.

Notably, Alagiri was expelled from DMK in 2014, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The decision to expel him was approved by the then party chief Karunanidhi, who charged him of "anti-party activities" for plotting against brother Stalin.

Alagiri, a former Union Minister in the erstwhile UPA government, said the setback suffered by the DMK in 2014, when the party failed to win a single seat, was due to his rebellion.

Warning the party of a similar consequence in the Lok Sabha polls next year, Alagiri said hs loyalists will work against the DMK if he is not re-inducted into the party.

Alagiri claims that he would be addressing a rally in Madurai next month, which would be attended by over 1,00,000 "genuine cadres" of the DMK. Pollsters claim that the 67-year-old will exercise his clout in state politics by working towards defeating the DMK in the Tiruvarur and Thiruparankundram assembly bypolls.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 30, 2018 08:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).