If you are planning to hire a car now, banish the thought. Political parties and the Election Commission have hired almost all cars available on rent, in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections on May 10.

There are nearly 200 car rentals operating from the city and almost all are overbooked. According to operators, the demand for vehicles is increasing as the date of election draws nearer. Political parties do not mind a steep hike in the rent and appear determined to pick up as many vehicles as possible.

For the political parties, the first choice is a Tata Sumo or a Qualis, followed by open jeeps, Maruti vans and Ambassadors.

At the moment, nearly 100 Qualis jeeps, 200 Tata Sumos, 100 open jeeps, 350 Maruti vans and 5,000 Ambassador cars are plying in the city and districts, under the banner of different political outfits. Nearly 150 candidates from mainline political parties have hired vehicles.

“I opted for a Qualis and a Sumo as they can carry the maximum number of passengers and can ply on any road,’’ said Trinamul Congress’ Diamond Harbour nominee Sougata Roy.

The Election Commission prefers luxury taxis, taxis, Sumos, buses and minibuses. It is in the process of booking 4,000 taxis, 3,000 luxury taxis, 500 Sumos and 4,000 buses and Matador vans to despatch about 200,000 polling personnel, security officers, voting machines and other materials to nearly 50,000 polling booths in 42 constituencies across the state.

“I get requests, as well as threats, from political party workers intending to hire vehicles. I have no other vehicles left. So I will stay with my relatives now, and return home only on the polling day,” said Apurba Biswas, a car rental operator of north Calcutta.

Manoj Saha, a car rental operator in Salt Lake, was compelled to rent out his personal car, caught between local political leaders and the Election Commission, that requisitioned four Ambassadors.