MUMBAI - Uddhav Thackeray resigned as Maharashtra Chief Minister on Wednesday after Supreme Court's refusal to stay Maharashtra Governor's direction to his Maha Vikas Aghadi government to take floor test in Assembly on Thursday and said that he respects the court's decision.

"I am satisfied that we have officially renamed Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv - the cities named by Balasaheb Thackeray," he said in his speech after the apex court verdict.

Thackeray said he fulfilled his father late Bal Thackeray's dream of renaming Aurangabad city as Sambhajinagar. "I am also resigning as a member of Maharashtra Legislative Council," he said in a webcast.

"I want to express my gratitude to the people of NCP and Congress that they supported me. From Shiv Sena, Anil Parab, Subhash Desai and Aaditya Thackeray, these people were only present when the proposal was passed while NCP and Congress people also supported the proposal," he added.

A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala said Thursday's proceeding in the Assembly will be subject to the final outcome of Shiv Sena's plea against Governor's decision.

The top court also issued notice to the Secretary of Legislative Assembly and others on plea against the Governor's direction for the floor test.

UDDHAV THACKERY: "I am satisfied that we have officially renamed Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv - the cities named by Balasaheb Thackeray."

"We have drafted this short order. We are not staying the floor test as convened by the Governor. We are issuing notice in the writ petition. You can file a counter in five days. We will hear on merits along with other cases on July 11. Tomorrow's proceeding will depend on the final outcome of this petition," the bench said.

Chairing a cabinet meeting, on Wednesday evening, Uddhav Thackeray said he was betrayed by his own people.

An official said that Thackeray told his cabinet colleagues that he had been betrayed by his own people.

"I also apologise if I have hurt anyone unintentionally," the official quoting Thackeray as saying.

The cabinet meeting, chaired by Uddhav Thackeray, also approved the naming of upcoming Navi Mumbai international airport after farmer leader late D B Patil.

After the Shiv Sena broke off its alliance with the BJP and joined hands with the Congress and NCP to form MVA government, the BJP had often reminded the Sena of its own old demand to rename Aurangabad, which derived its name from Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

The Congress, which is a junior partner in the MVA government, demanded in the cabinet meeting that Pune city be named as Jijau Nagar, after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's mother, and Mumbai Trans Harbour link between Sewree and Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai be named for former chief minister late A R Antulay. But these demands were apparently not considered.

Congress had backed the demand to name Navi Mumbai Airport after D B Patil.