BAGHDAD, Iraq--Kurdish parliamentary factions in Baghdad appear to be divided across Iraqi Shiite party lines, each taking the side of a group and their rivalries playing itself out in their daily politics.The main contest is between Iraq's current Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his predecessor Nouri al-Maliki.

Maliki has hinted at wanting to become prime minister again after the war with ISIS and this has been interpreted as the beginning of the disintegration of Iraq by a Kurdish party.

Parliamentary blocs of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Change Movement (Gorran) have taken the side of Maliki and hope to pass their bills in parliament on his strength."Each faction is free who they meet with," Bakhtayr Shawes, a PUK MP told Rudaw, in response to criticism of his party's dealings with Maliki.

PUK parliamentarians were criticized for inviting Maliki to Sulaimani over the summer and for holding almost regular talks with him in his Baghdad office.

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Zana Saeed Rustayi, an MP of the Islamic League (Komal), whose party has taken the PUK position on their policies in Baghdad, justified meetings with Maliki.Rustayi said that Maliki still enjoys great support politically and among people, especially among the armed group of Hashd al-Shaabi.Rustayi denied that Komal was walking the Maliki line, adding that he knew "The PUK and Gorran were trying to use Maliki to pass their own bills and proposals in parliament,"On the other hand, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is the main critic of Maliki and has accused him of designing financial sanctions against Erbil in 2014.KDP MP in Baghdad, Arafat Karam told Rudaw that the PUK, Gorran and Komal have made it clear they are on Maliki's side, adding that he hoped all groups worked closely with Maliki "so that they get to know what kind of person he is."In recent media interviews Maliki has described PM Abadi as an incapable leader and hinted at coming back to the political scene after the defeat of ISIS.This might be unlikely, believes Komal's Rustayi, because there are serious barriers before Maliki despite his popular support."The Sadrists are a serious wall before Maliki which he won't be able to surmount," said Rustayi, if Maliki wants to become prime minister again.KDP parliamentarian Karam says that his party is aware of Maliki's ambitions to become prime minister once again, but warns in the meantime that his return to the post will mean the disintegration of Iraq."With Maliki's return the disputes will deepen so much that Iraq will be officially partitioned," Karam said. "In other words, only Maliki can divide Iraq."