A movement within the Mumbai Congress, for demanding city unit chief Sanjay Nirupam's removal, has gained momentum with senior leaders making a plea to party president Rahul Gandhi, that a change in command would be good for the party.

Nine leaders met Gandhi in the capital on Friday afternoon for over 40 minutes in which they read out reasons for raising the demand. State in-charge Mallikarjun Kharge and AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot were present at the meeting. The first step in the anti-Nirupam drive was completed in Mumbai a fortnight ago, when the local leaders had met here. Kharge had collected the inputs to take the issue before the party president.