in 1985, the party launched people's democratic front (pdf) in karbi anglong district of assam which won a seat in state assembly. in 1987 pdf was transformed to autonomous state demand committee (asdc). a sustained mass movement by asdc help it to sweep district council elections in 1989. in 1981, asdc's jayanta rongpi became a mp in parliament. in 1996, asdc was able to send its five-member group in assam assembly as mla.