Deora had won the seat for the second time in 2009, in a three-cornered fight with Bala Nandgaonkar (MNS) and Mohan Rawle (Shiv Sena).
This time around, his fight will be with Nandgaonkar, Shiv Sena's Arvind Sawant and AAP's Meera Sanyal.
The 37-year-old MP initiated the Bhendi Bazar cluster development project and pushed for the Eastern Freeway project and the second phase of the Rs 80-crore Marine Drive makeover project. He claims credit for the lighthouse tourism policy, guidelines to regulate cell tower radiations and the state's decision to set up a housing regulator.
The recent Arvind Kejriwal road show in south Mumbai has energised Sanyal's campaign. The AAP chief had kicked off his Lok Sabha campaign in Maharashtra with a ride on a suburban train to Churchgate and then took out a 'Jhaadu Chalao Yatra' through south Mumbai streets.
MNS leader Nandgaonkar, who finished second against Deora last time, will be vying for the "Marathi manus" votes and dampening the chances of the Shiv candidate and former legislator Arvind Sawant.