The Musavatists were hostile against the October coup and the Bolsheviks coming to power. In December 1917, they seized power in Elizabethpol (renamed Ganja). By February 1918, their armed detachments controlled most of the Elizabethpol Governorate. In late 1917 – early 1918, the Musavatists were part of the Transcaucasian Commissariat, the Transcaucasian Seim, participated in the establishment of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, and joined its government. The Baku Bureau of the party led the Azerbaijani units and the Muslim population of Baku in the battles with the Baku Soviet of Workers’, Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Deputies and with the Armenian units of the Dashnaktsutyun Party (March 30 – April 1, 1918). This led to numerous victims and ended with the defeat of the Musavatists. In May 1918, after the collapse of the Transcaucasian DFR, former members of the Transcaucasian Seim from Musavat formed a National Council and Government in Tiflis and proclaimed the independent Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

 

In June, the government moved to Ganja and in September 1918, Musavatist detachments together with Turkish troops occupied Baku. Musavat became the ruling party in the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and took the majority of seats in its Parliament. After the defeat of Turkey, its troops left Baku, but the leaders of Musavat received support from the British occupation authorities. In December 1919, at the Second Congress of the Party, serious internal disagreements were revealed and a left-wing opposition was formed. After the units of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army entered Azerbaijan, the Musavat Government peacefully surrendered power in April 1920. However, at the Extraordinary Congress of the Party on April 29, the majority of delegates spoke in favor of an armed struggle against the Soviet Government. At the end of May 1920, the Musavatists organized an armed uprising in Ganja, which was suppressed. After that, the party leaders were either subjected to repression, emigrated, or went underground.

 

For several years, the illegal structures of Musavat had been preparing armed demonstrations against the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, but in 1926, the underground was finally defeated. Settled in Istanbul, the Musavat group of leaders continued to be active until the mid-1930s, but the Party as such ceased to exist.

 

The Musavat Party was revived in the late 1980s. It is considered the oldest in the Republic of Azerbaijan.