 Damerla was appointed Minister of Seniors Affairs, leading a new standalone ministry created from the former Ontario Seniors' Secretariat, on January 12, 2017.In the 2018 provincial election, Damerla was defeated in Mississauga East—Cooksville by Progressive Conservative candidate Kaleed Rasheed.Damerla registered on July 19, 2018 to run as a candidate to replace retiring Ward 7 Mississauga City Councillor Nando Iannica in the 2018 Mississauga municipal election.