In the succeeding general election of January 1980 Indira Gandhi and the Congress returned to power, with the Janata Party to blame for her return. Charan Singh was re-elected from Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh to parliament in that election. Lok Dal won 41 Parliamentary seats with 9.4% of the national vote, and became the second largest party in parliament after the Congress. It’s performance was the strongest in the 5 states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa. 7 of the 29 (25%) seats won by Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh were by Muslim candidates.

Singh continued to be politically active between 1980 and 1984, and spoke his mind on a range of issues of national importance. He wrote and spoke against extremist activities in the Sikhs in Punjab, and what he saw as the weak-kneed handling by the Congress government of militant extremists like Bhindrawala. He vociferously and publicly opposed the demand for Khalistan for which he received multiple death threats, but he continued nevertheless.