Mumbai: BJP leader and former Ahmednagar MP Sujay Vikhe Patil has stirred controversy after linking delays in a highway construction project in Maharashtra to global disruptions caused by US President Donald Trump’s policies.

Speaking at a public event, Vikhe Patil said the shortage of bitumen, a key material used in road construction, had affected work on the Ahilyanagar Manmad Road project.

He argued that the material now has to be transported from Delhi, pushing up costs significantly.

"Today, due to the unavailability of tar, the contractor has to bring it from Delhi by vehicle. The cost has increased by two and a half times, and approvals are needed for the escalated costs as well. These are technical issues," he said.

In a sharp remark, Vikhe Patil also criticised Trump, saying he had never seen anyone like him and suggesting that the US President’s changing decisions were creating confusion across global markets.

"I swear to God, I have never seen such a crazy person in my entire life. In the morning he says stop, in the evening he drops bombs again... It is better for us not to get involved with that man," he said.

The BJP leader claimed that turmoil linked to the US-Iran conflict and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz had affected crude oil supplies worldwide. Since bitumen is a byproduct of oil refining, he said the shortage had impacted road construction materials and increased project costs.

He further added, in a remark that drew attention, that "due to the confusion caused by Trump's actions, the amount of alcohol consumed by certain people has increased." He did not provide evidence for the statement.

Vikhe Patil, who is the son of Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, said the issue was affecting infrastructure work at the local level because of global energy supply disruptions.

The comments have sparked discussion for linking a state-level highway project to international geopolitics and the wider impact of oil market instability on infrastructure costs.