‘Subhadra’: Suvendu names BJP MLA Soumen Karfa’s newborn daughter

After West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari suggested the name ‘Subhadra’ for Bhatar MLA Soumen Karfa’s daughter, the family have kept that name for their newborn child.

Karfa, the BJP MLA from Bhatar in Purba Bardhaman and his wife were blessed with a baby girl on Sunday. The family had earlier requested the chief minister to name the child, and Adhikari chose ‘Subhadra,’ the sister of Lord Jagannath. The family subsequently decided to name the newborn Subhadra Karfa.

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“I am delighted to share that Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Annapurna have blessed my home. Today, I have been blessed with a baby girl,” Karfa wrote in a post on X.

“I informed Hon’ble chief minister Suvendu Adhikari and requested him to name my daughter. He named her ‘Subhadra’, the sister of Lord Jagannath. I have named my daughter Subhadra Karfa after the name given by my respected elder brother, the chief minister. Please bless her and keep her in your prayers,” he shared.

According to family members, they had earlier planned that if a son was born, he would be named either “Bubai” or “Shubhendu.”

However, after the birth of a daughter, they decided to keep the name chosen by Adhikari.

Karfa, 33, was elected as the BJP MLA from the Bhatar assembly constituency in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections after defeating Trinamool Congress candidate Shantanu Konwar by a margin of 6,528 votes.

According to party sources, it was Suvendu Adhikari who had advised Karfa to contest from the Bhatar constituency ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Brigade rally on March 14.

Karfa began his political career in Left student politics. During his school days, he was associated with the Students’ Federation of India (SFI). In 2012, he became assistant secretary of the undivided Bardhaman district unit of the SFI and was also active in the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). He left the Left camp in December 2020 following ideological differences and joined the BJP.

Karfa came in contact with Suvendu Adhikari in 2021, and the two gradually developed a close political association.

Apart from politics, Karfa is involved in several business ventures and also runs a petrol pump. He lives with his wife, parents, brother and sister-in-law. His marriage had also drawn political attention.

His wife’s family had long been associated with the Trinamool Congress, and there was initially resistance to the alliance because of political differences. However, the families later resolved their differences, and the couple got married in 2022.