Support grows for Silva in Brazilian presidential elections: Poll

A poll on Wednesday confirmed Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's lead position, while there is growing support for Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) presidential candidate Marina Silva in the lead up to Oct. 5 general elections.

The MDA Institute poll, commissioned by the National Industry Confederation (CNI), was the second in as many days to show Rousseff, who is running for reelection, still leads with 34.2 percent of support, while Silva has rushed past conservative opposition rival Aecio Neves (16 percent) to take the second place with 28.2 percent.

In a runoff between Rousseff and Silva, the latter would win 43.7 to 37.8 percent, the MDA said, echoing the results of an Ibope poll published Tuesday. Silva would also beat Neves 48.9 to 25.2 percent.

In a runoff between Rousseff and Neves, Rousseff would be reelected with 43 percent of the votes versus 33.3 percent for Neves.

Neves on Wednesday tried to recover some of his lost momentum by indirectly calling Silva "an amateur," and casting himself as the more reliable option.

"I am the only safe, qualified candidate for Brazil's challenges. Brazil is not for amateurs. The complexity of the problems which lie ahead demands experience," he said.

Before running for president, Neves served as governor and senator for his home state Minas Gerais. Silva has also served as a senator and Environment Minister under former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Up until two weeks ago, Silva was the running mate of PSB presidential candidate Eduardo Campos, who died on Aug. 13 in a plane crash. The party then named her its candidate.

Neves admitted Silva's candidacy has changed the electoral landscape, but insisted he will not change his strategy.

The MDA poll, carried out from Aug. 21-24, surveyed 2,002 people around the country and has a margin of error of 2.2 points.