Belekar points out that if the merger of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party had occurred in 1980, the Legislative Assembly would virtually have no Opposition members at all. The Assembly then had 20 MLAs of the Indian National Congress and 7 MLAs of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, while the remaining 3 were Independents. If Khalap and Gaonkar would have joined the Indian National Congress along with the rest 5 MLAs of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, there would exist no Opposition at all in the Assembly.