After the split within the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, to which he was a member, Jugheli sided with the Bolsheviks, but later defected to the Menshevik faction and became an influential member. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, he organized the Red Guard detachment which was later renamed into the People's Guard of Georgia. On November 29, 1917, he successfully commanded a raid on the Tiflis military arsenal guarded by the pro-Bolshevik Russian soldiers led by Stepan Shahumyan, the ethnic Armenian Bolshevik.
Following a split within the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, Jugheli initially aligned with the Bolsheviks but later switched to the Mensheviks and became a key figure in their ranks. After the 1917 Russian Revolution, he established the Red Guard detachment which was subsequently renamed as the People's Guard of Georgia. On November 29, 1917, Jugheli successfully commanded an assault on the Tiflis military arsenal guarded by pro-Bolshevik Russian soldiers led by Stepan Shahumyan, a fellow Armenian Bolshevik.