New Delhi, June 29 -- In a major administrative and political development, the health department representation for Himachal Pradesh raised eyebrows during a high-profile national conclave chaired by Union Health Minister JP Nadda in Delhi.

While health ministers from across the country converged to discuss critical national healthcare frameworks and central funding allocations, Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil did not participate in the session. According to sources, no official explanation or prior reason was provided to the Union Ministry for his absence.

Further fueling speculation of a standoff, the state's Health Secretary, who attended the conference on behalf of Himachal Pradesh, reportedly staged an abrupt exi...