Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will reshuffle cabinet today, Jose Mucio, head of Lula's ruling Workers' Party (PT) in Congress, announced on Sunday.

The reshuffle will begin following a meeting with Marta Suplicy, the former Sao Paulo mayor, who is rumored to be in line to become the tourism minister, and will conclude by the end of the week.

Although the PT is lead by Lula who was sworn in a second term in January, the party suffered heavy blows from a series of corruption scandals.

Brazilian political analysts said that equally scandal-hit Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) is the main ally that Lula has to placate with government posts.

Soybean magnate and congressman Odilo Balbinotti, is one of the five PMDB members that PMDB leader Michel Temer said Lula had agreed to consider for an important post in his cabinet; possibly agriculture minister.

The PMDB also wants its members to be the ministers of mines and energy, communications, health and national integration.

On Friday, Lula told media that he would put all reshuffle plans on hold for at least 48 hours, while accusations against his allies were clarified.

(Xinhua News Agency March 19, 2007)