Rio de Janeiro, April 20 (IANS): Hundreds of women rallied in front of the Planalto Palace, the government headquarters, in Brasilia in support of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and against her impeachment.

During the rally on Tuesday they carried red and white roses as well as signs calling for the president to stay, Xinhua news agency reported.

Rousseff met several leaders of the women's rally in the palace and left the building to personally greet the demonstrators, many of whom travelled from other states to show their support.

The president reaffirmed her stance that the impeachment process against her lacks legal basis.

"Those who intend to replace me did not receive these 54 million votes, and they are trying to make an indirect election disguised as impeachment," she said.

The lower house of Brazil's parliament on Sunday gave the go-ahead for the impeachment proceedings against President Rousseff.

It means the Senate will open a formal impeachment trial against her on charges of manipulating government accounts in the coming weeks.