JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's finance minister denied on Thursday that he was being pushed out his job, dismissing speculation that he was being shifted to the post of central bank governor because he had crossed swords with politically powerful businessmen.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono unexpectedly nominated Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo to replace Darmin Nasution, whose term as Bank Indonesia governor ends in May.

Indonesian Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo leaves the presidential compound after attending a meeting in Jakarta February 25, 2013. REUTERS/Supri

There has been no clear explanation from the presidential palace why either man is moving from his current job nor who would be the new finance minister if Martowardojo is approved by parliament to head Bank Indonesia, which MPs will debate later next month. Some politicians have questioned Martowardojo's suitability for the job.

Asked if he had been the victim of vested political or business interests, the finance minister said "No".

"(There was) no political pressure," Martowardojo told reporters on the sidelines of a conference. "It is an honour to be nominated as central bank governor."

Earlier, Vice President Boediono, himself a former central bank governor, told Reuters that Bank Indonesia needed a safe pair of hands to replace the outgoing governor.

(Reporting by Neil Chatterjee; Writing by Randy Fabi and Jonathan Thatcher; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

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