Shafaq News/ The media office of Iraq's National Security Advisor Qasem al-Araji on Sunday denied the media controversy revolved around his candidacy for the interior portfolio in Mohammad Shiyaa al-Sudani's cabinet lineup.

Al-Araji's media office said in a statement that he has never been a candidate for the post, denying relations to the circulating media reports.

Earlier today, a leading figure in the Badr Organization said that the Iran-backed Shiite faction has pulled out Qasem Al-Araji's candidacy for the interior ministry al-Sudani.

Those remarks come as obstacles pile up ahead of a parliamentary session called in to award the government confidence next week.

The Iraqi National Security Advisor Qasem al-Araji is a prominent figure in the Badr Organization and a close confidante of its founding leader, Hadi al-Ameri.

"The organization opted to withdraw al-Araji's candidacy to protest some of the allies in the Coordination Framework violation of previous agreements and disregard of its political entitlements," the source who preferred to remain anonymous told Shafaq News Agency.

Badr has "indirectly" informed the Coordination Framework that it would no longer participate in al-Sudani's cabinet and might join the opposition in case the political parties failed to commit to the "political entitlement" deal.

"Badr also communicated its discontent with some of the potential ministers competence," the source added.

The interior portfolio in the incoming government has been a point of contention between different members of the mainly Iran-loyal Shiite consortium. The allied forces failed to reach common ground with less than a week ahead of a scheduled confidence vote on al-Sudani and his lineup.

The source said that Badr Organization's favorite Qasem al-Araji is competing with the head of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces-PMF) Commission Falih al-Fayyadh and a prominent advisor in the Interior Ministry Major General Mahsi al-Fukayki.