Rudd proves popular with one million Twitter followers

He may have been ousted as the nation's leader, but Kevin Rudd has become an undisputed king of Twitter.

On Saturday night (AEST) he reached one million followers on the popular social networking website.

"Just got to a million twitter (sic) followers. Thanks to all. One guy said it's time for a new twitter pic. How about my 1977 mo photo? KRudd," the Foreign Minister tweeted, using his @KRuddMP account.

He is thought to be the first Australian politician to reach the million follower milestone.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard suffers by comparison, with just over 126,000 followers.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has almost 40,000 followers.

US President Barack Obama has more than nine million followers.

And while Mr Rudd, a prolific tweeter, may be ruminating about a possible pictorial 1970s throwback, rumour continues to swirl about a prime ministerial comeback.

Labor MPs have been spruiking him to colleagues, saying he is a "changed man" and ready to forgive and forget if returned as leader, according to a News Ltd report on Saturday.

- AAP