It's up to you, New York - state takes centre stage in election campaign

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks at a rally at Prospect Park in the Brooklyn borough of New York April 17, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders accused front-runner Hillary Clinton of apparent campaign finance violations on Monday, ratcheting up the rhetoric against his rival one day before New York state's crucial primary elections.

Sanders questioned whether Clinton's campaign violated legal limits on donations by paying her staffers with funds from a joint fundraising effort by Clinton and the Democratic National Committee, or DNC.