Lucknow, Feb. 13: Sonia Gandhi played party pooper in Rae Bareli, shutting down a nautanki after the blaring loudspeaker kept her awake for over two hours on Thursday night.

On the first day of her two-day tour of the constituency, Sonia had retired to her room at the Bhuemau Guest House at 9pm. At 11pm, she complained to the Special Protection Group about the "irritating loudspeaker" that was keeping her sleepless.

Within 30 minutes, police had rushed to the spot and shut down the nautanki (folk theatre) that was organised by farmer Ram Pyare on the occasion of his mother Dulari Devi's terahvin (a ritual on the 13th day of death).

Not only residents of Bhuemau - a village that traditionally votes the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections - but many from neighbouring villages too had gathered to watch the nautanki. The loudspeaker was blaring.

Sushil Kumar, circle officer, said today: "The MP had a problem. So we went to the village and stopped the nautanki."

It was not clear whether Sonia was aware of the nature of the event.

Dulari Devi had died at the age of 100, which the villagers felt was reason enough for a celebration.

"Although normally a death is unfortunate, I believe that my mother attained salvation. This was the reason behind the celebration. But I didn't want to create any nuisance," said Ram Pyare, who had voted for Sonia in the last elections.

Local Congress leaders said the party president had reached Rae Bareli, 80km from Lucknow, at 11.40am on Thursday and spent the day meeting residents or holding discussions with party workers. She went to bed around 9pm and complained about the noise two hours later.

S.N. Yadav, station house officer, said the nautanki was being held barely 500 metres from the guest house. "The villagers didn't resist when we asked them to stop the nautanki," Yadav added. Traditionally, nautanki goes on through the night.

The villagers of Bhuemau vote for the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections but support either the Samajwadi Party or the BSP in the Assembly elections. They appreciate Sonia because she meets them.

Ram Pyare met her last year along with other villagers at the same guesthouse. "She asked about our problems. We told her there was no irrigation and she promised to address the matter," he said, adding he would continue supporting her.

But he did regret that the money he spent on the nautanki had gone waste.

"I had hired the nautanki team for a night for Rs 8,000. I had to pay them in any case. Some people who had come here from other villages expressed their annoyance over the cancellation," he said.

" Sab maza kirkira ho gaya (All the fun was spoiled)," Ram Pyare lamented.