Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today resigned, saying he respected the people's anger and anguish over the Mumbai terror attacks and owning moral responsibility for them.

"I have accepted moral responsibility for Mumbai terror attacks. In a democracy one has to honour people's anguish and anger," Deshmukh, who last month completed four years of his second term in the office, said.

The 63-year-old Deshmukh drove to Raj Bhawan and submitted his resignation to Governor S C Jamir, soon after addressing a press conference where he thanked Congress president Sonia Gandhi for giving him an opportunity to be at the helm of affairs in the state on two occasions.

"I have served for so long in the government... it is now my duty to serve the party", Deshmukh said when asked if he would be contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

"The party has to decide whether I should contest Lok Sabha or other election", Deshmukh said.