Senior BJP leader Arun Shourie has said that he was replaced as lead speaker during the annual budge debate in Parliament in 2009 over fears that he would take a hard stand on a proposal beneficial for certain industrialist. Talking to a news channel, Mr. Shourie said that a day before his speech, he was replaced by Venkiah Naidu to ensure the BJP was more accommodating. However, in Hyderabad, Mr. Naidu said he had been asked to initiate the debate. Mr. Shourie also confirmed that voice in leaked tapes of Nira Radia is of his friend and Rajya Sabha MP N.K.Singh. However, Mr. Singh has clarified that when he was Revenue Secretary in the government, he had rejected the request to extend the tax concession to the gas sector.