Mahato was associated with the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and recognised as an influential leader of the Mithilanchal region of Bihar.

In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, he left the BJP and contested the elections of the Madhubani constituency as an independent candidate, as this constituency was allotted to Vikassheel Insaan Party in a seat sharing arrangement.

In the 2015 election, Mahato finished second to Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate Samir Kumar Mahaseth.

[3] In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, he left BJP and contested as an independent candidate from the Madhubani constituency, losing to Samir Kumar Mahaseth again.

[4] In 2020, Mahato had accused BJP leaders of Bihar of not giving due importance to the ground level political workers and preferring candidates with money power over others in distribution of tickets to contest the elections.