Kathmandu - Land Reforms Minister Matrika Yadav resigned Friday amid a growing dispute over a land grab by former Maoist rebels that he led and that threatens the future of Nepal's Maoist-led government.

Yadav, who is a Maoist central committee member and an ethnic Madhesi from southern Nepal, submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

It followed the Maoist central committee's orders for Yadav to publicly apologize for the use Tuesday of armed Maoists to reclaim disputed land that was guarded by police in the Siraha district, about 300 kilometres south-east of Kathmandu.