New Delhi - The chief minister of India's Maharashtra state resigned Thursday, accepting moral responsibility for the Mumbai terror attacks.

"In a democracy one has to honour people's anguish and anger," PTI news agency quoted Vilasrao Deshmukh as saying at a press briefing in Mumbai.

Deshmukh's resignation comes a week after terrorists wrought mayhem in India's financial hub - which is also the capital of Maharashtra state - killing 171 people and injuring over 300.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister RR Patil and federal home minister Shivraj Patil resigned earlier amid allegations of an intelligence failure.

In both the federal government and in Maharashtra state, the home portfolio includes internal security and the minister is in charge of police and intelligence.

Deshmukh, who belongs to the Congress Party, submitted his resignation to the Maharashtra governor soon after addressing the media.

The outgoing chief minister did not reply to questions on who would succeed him. He said the Congress party would choose his successor and the final decision would be made by party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Asked whether he had any regrets over his four-year tenure, Deshmukh said he regretted his government "could not save so many lives lost in the war against India."

Deshmukh, who was criticised for taking his actor son Riteish Deshmukh and filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma to the ravaged Taj Hotel, one of the terrorist targets, after the operation was over, admitted it was a mistake. "I have apologised for that," he said. (dpa)