In the 1994 parliamentary elections the UNP was defeated and, amidst great hope, the People's Alliance, headed by Chandrika Kumaratunga, came to power on a peace platform. During the Presidential election campaign an LTTE bomb attack was carried out during a rally held at Thotalanga, Grandpass, eliminated the entire top brass of UNP leadership, including its presidential candidate, Gamini Dissanayake. Kumaratunga became the president with a 62% majority. A cease-fire was agreed to in January 1995, but the ensuing negotiations proved fruitless. The LTTE broke the cease-fire and blew up two gunboats, SLNS "Sooraya" and SLNS "Ranasuru" of the Sri Lanka Navy on 19 April, thereby beginning the next phase of the war, dubbed "Eelam War III".