RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has eyed Chief of Staff Dilma Rousseff as his successor in the 2010 presidential race, Justice Minister Tarso Genro said in an interview with Agencia Brasil Thursday.

    Genro, while denying any intention to seek the candidacy for Lula's Worker's Party in the 2010 election, said he supports Lula's decision.

    "As a member of the government and the president's political subordinate, I must respect his choice. And I think it is a good choice, which has all the chances of being approved by the party and makes a great campaign," he said.

    The minister said that the Worker's Party's strength was enhanced by the municipal elections, in which the party managed to see an increase of 30 percent in the number of mayors elected in just the first round.

    The victory was due to the policies implemented by the Lula administration, which will also give a boost to the party's candidate in the 2010 presidential elections, said the minister.

    Congressman Ciro Gomes, who ran against Lula in the 2006 election but maintains a good relationship with the president, has already declared his interest to run as Rousseff's vice presidential partner.

    Rousseff became the chief of staff in June 2005, the first female to take the post in the country. The 61-year-old is also chairman of the board of directors of the Brazilian oil giant Petrobras.