in ist ) ▁( not ▁to ▁be ▁confused ▁with ▁the ▁CO C , ▁C PI ( ML ) ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ). ▁ ▁Singh ▁cont ested ▁the ▁Sam ast ip ur ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁Lok ▁Sab ha ▁election , ▁finishing ▁in ▁fourth ▁place ▁with ▁ 1 3 , 1 5 1 ▁votes ▁( 2 . 8 0 %). ▁ ▁AP M ▁closure ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁the ▁Ash ok ▁P aper ▁Mill ▁was ▁closed ▁down , ▁and ▁Singh ▁initi ated ▁a ▁long ▁campaign ▁for ▁its ▁re open ing ▁for ▁over ▁ 3 0 ▁years . ▁Under ▁Singh ' s ▁leadership ▁the ▁AP M ▁workers ▁blocked ▁attempts ▁to ▁remove ▁the ▁mach in ery ▁of ▁the ▁plant . ▁He ▁also ▁strugg led ▁for ▁economic ▁compens ation ▁for ▁the ▁AP M ▁workers ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁laid ▁off , ▁eventually ▁bringing ▁the ▁case ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁of ▁India . ▁ ▁Legisl ator ▁Singh ▁cont ested ▁the ▁March ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁election , ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁Hay ag hat ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁Bi har ▁Legisl ative ▁Assembly . ▁He ▁finished ▁in ▁first ▁place ▁amongst ▁ 2 2 ▁candidates , ▁obtain ing ▁ 1 3 , 5 3 9 ▁votes ▁( 2 1 . 3 0 %). ▁So on ▁after ▁the ▁election , ▁Singh ' s ▁party ▁merged ▁into ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Organisation ▁of ▁India ▁( Mar x ist – Len in ist ) ▁( CO I ( ML )). ▁Singh ▁became ▁a